


Dreams

by JupitersDaughter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Angst, Body Positivity, Comedy, Drama, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Fingerfucking, Happy Ending, Loss of Virginity, Love, Oral Sex, POV Hermione Granger, Pining, Post-War, Pregnancy, References to the Beatles, Sex Is Fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:34:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 23,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23440297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JupitersDaughter/pseuds/JupitersDaughter
Summary: My version of what happened between Malfoy Manor and the Cursed Child.Hermione's POV.I wanted to create a story that was realistic, funny, dramatic, sexy but also sweet.This is a story about being haunted by dreams, but, above all, it's about  love.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 73
Kudos: 61





	1. Get Back

I remember the pain.

I remember the excruciating pain like it was yesterday.

I remember how my limbs contract like they were breaking.

I remember how every single part of my body screamed. My head, my stomach, my nails, my hair… places I didn’t know could hurt.

And I remember a pull in my stomach and a sound of a loud thud in the ground.

“Calm down, Hermione. Please. We’re safe now!” a whisper.

I remember bouncing, a sound of door opening, people speaking, another pull and I’m seated.

“Please, drink this… “ something cold hit my lips “It’s okay, you'll feel better... Please, open your mouth...”

I didn’t know who this one was, but I didn’t have the strength to find out and fight him. I parted my lips slightly and the liquid hit me soothing my pain. I opened my mouth more and gulped the liquid like a cold Buterbeer in a hot summer day.

I finally opened my eyes... Blue eyes staring back at me… I know these eyes.

“Better?”

I nodded “Where are we?” my throat hurted as I spoke and my voice sounded different.

A sigh “at Bill’s house. We’re safe now.”

I looked around panicked “Where’s Harry?”

Another sigh of relief “He’s outside. People are there with him.”

“How did we escape?”

“Dobby showed up. I’m not sure how, but Harry summoned him.”

I could calm enough to realize that one of Ron’s arm is around my back holding me seated while my legs are above his lap. He carried me bridal style and seated us on the couch.

I should move, but the door opened to reveal Dean carrying Griphook and Fleur right behind them.

“Is everything all right?” Ron asked.

“The elf didn’t survive” Dean answered.

_No, not Dobby…_

So I started to cry and once I started, I just couldn’t stop. Ron hugged me and I sobbed first because of Dobby, then the war, then my parents, then I just couldn’t point what I was crying about, I just did.

When the tears finally stopped, the warmness of Ron’s body just felt so good against mine and I just enjoyed the feel of him.

Last time I remembered being this close to Ron, we were dancing in Bill and Fleur’s wedding which was another life ago. A life that Ron didn’t leave the tent and Bellatrix didn’t curse me.

“Do you want a calming draught?” he asked without breaking the hug.

“That depends. What did you give me earlier?”

“Just a Standard Pain Relief Potion that Bill gave me”

“Pain relief with calming draught can put people in coma.” I said trying very hard not to make an “It’s leviOsa, not leviosAA” face.

Ron gave a small laugh and hugged me closer.

“So glad your brain is still the same.” which made me smile.

Thank Merlin for Fleur who broke the moment offering me a warm bath. I gladly took it. In the bathroom, I discovered a black frizzy hair on my clothes and I kept it safely.

Dobby’s funeral happened. We sadly did the last homage to the free elf.

Then us, golden trio, talked to Griphook and Mr. Ollivander: there was a Horcrux in Gringots and Voldy had the Elder Wand.

We were in a safe house, but we were fucked.

Harry excused himself to sleep. But my mind was running a mile: we couldn’t just walk into Gringots, Harry’s cape wouldn’t be enough for the three of us, I have Bellatrix’ hair and I still have some Polyjuice potion but I’m not sure it….

“You should rest too” Ron said cutting through my thoughts.

“I’m fine. I need to think about how to get the Horcru..”

“No, you don’t. You need your health first then WE can make a plan.”

“Ron, I’m fine. And I won’t be able to sleep anyway”

“You need to rest, Hermione!”

“I said I’m FINE!”

“You damn stubborn witch!” he grabbed my arm and pushed through the bedroom I would share with Luna.

“RON, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?” I yelled pushed into the bed. “WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?” yelled again when I managed to seat.

“YOU-NEED-TO-REST!” He yelled back, pushing me to laid down again.

“And that’s your way of making me rest? By forcing me?” I tried to seat once more, but Ron pushed me again, this time he laid on top of me to keep me from moving.

“If I have to, I will.” He said while I was trying to push him. Eventually, he got hold of my hands.

“And what? Am I supposed to sleep while you’re pinning me to bed?” His feet, legs and torso were covering mine, while his hands were holding my wrists.

“I’m not…” Ron only started to say, soon realizing the position we were. His face became a mix of panic and confusion with eyes wide opened looking back at mine, searching for an answer.

I could hear him panting slightly and I must have been too, since my lips felt dry. I darted my tongue out and licked them. Ron’s eyes grew wider looking at my mouth.

He slowly came closer and just passed his lips against mine, slowly. I closed my eyes and I welcomed his bottom lip on my mouth, sucking it slightly. He did the same to me, sucking a bit longer and a bit harder that made do a very low moan.

The next moment had no subtlety about it. We opened our mouths, tongues fighting. His body heavy on mine. I wanted to touch him, and as I tried to move my hand, he griped it harder.

We faced death and escaped by chance, we deserved a good celebration snog.

And when I thought I couldn’t breathe, Ron broke the kiss to attach his mouth on my neck sucking it hard. Fuck, I wanted him. Fuck, I was moaning loud. Fuck, he could take off my clothes and have me right there... He's so good sucking my neck. Where has he learned these things?

_Of course... Lavender fucking Brown..._

He must have sensed some hesitation in me and went to suck my tongue instead. Kiss him was absolutely brilliant, but my mind never stops and I had a talk with it.

_It doesn’t matter the past. People have past. He’s here with you. Finaly. You wanted this for so long. You deserve it. He’s here with you. He saved you…. He’s here…... HERE…….. But he wasn’t always here, was he? He left once._

So I broke the kiss. And before he lowered his mouth again I shook my head.

“I can’t” I said very low.

His eyes went wide again.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I shouldn’t” he babbled removing his hand and body on top of mine “I really … I just... I shouldn’t... I’m sorry, but you do need to rest” he said already at the door “yes, you should, please rest... I’ll leave now... Again, sorry, very sorry” and closed the door.

I heard a “Fuck” from the other side of the door.

I finally kissed Ron, but I didn't feel glorious.

I cried myself to sleep.

There I had my first nightmare with Bellatrix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	2. I Saw Her Standing There

Her maniacal laugh was taunting me.

“Hermione, wake up!”

“What? What? What’s wrong, Luna?”

“You were screaming.”

“Oh... Sorry… did I wake you?”

“You did. You were having a bad dream. Are you okay?”

“Humm... Yeah... Fine... Again... Sorry.”

“Are you sure you’re f…?”

“I am! Go back to sleep.”

“…”

So she did. But I couldn’t anymore. After a while just laid in bed I left the bedroom and ran directly into Ron.

“Humm... Hermione, again, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t...”

“Ron, there’s a war going on, we must invade Gringots without our own wands. I just don’t have the mind or time for this” and I pointed to the both of us.

“Okay... You’re right” and I walked away before he apologized for kissing me... again.

It was indeed the truth. Days passed with me, Harry, Ron and Griphook trying to make a plan that sounded okay.

But at night, things got bad.

It turned out that since I had the pain relief potion when I arrived, the first nightmare was just a preview. The second time I slept in Bill and Fleur’s house, I silenced myself so I wouldn’t wake up Luna, just in case. That night, Bellatrix laughed and said just one word.

“Crucio”

When I finally woke up, my limbs were contorted and in pain, my head was throbbing and my mouth was opened in a silent scream.

Fleur had a lot of potions, but “Dreamless Sleep” wasn’t one of them. When I asked for Pain Relief, she asked how I was and explained her stock was short and Mr. Ollivander and Luna seemed to need them for a long time.

“Oh... okay! You’re right. I’m fine” I lied.

So every time I went to bed, Bellatrix would invade my mind, crucio me and it always ended with me waking up in a lot of pain. Good nights, I would dream once. There was a time I counted six.

One day, I woke up from another nightmare and feared sleeping again, so I went to the kitchen. It wasn’t alone.

“Hi!” Ron said. Things were awkward between us, so we just spoke the necessary. Apart from a few exchanged glances now and then, we looked like acquaintances.

When Ron wasn’t with us planning, he was frequently talking to Bill. Sometimes they seemed to be arguing, others Ron was carefully listening to his brother. But they always stopped when someone was close.

“Hello” I answered.

“Had trouble sleeping?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Same... I made some tea. Want a cup?” he said pouring tea into a mug.

“Oh... Thank you” I said picking it up and taking a sip “It’s great.”

“Thanks. So what kept you awake?”

“Just worried about Gringots...” a half lie.

“Want to talk about it?” he asked seating on a chair by the table.

“No” laughed “Today, I’m just sick of worrying” and I seated across from him. I shouldn’t: that night in the kitchen would haunt me for years.

“Oh…” and we both sipped our cups “Dean told me that he’s having a thing for Luna...”

“Poor Dean... Luna can’t stop talking about Neville.”

“Really? I guess the two of them make sense...”

So we talked and laughed about random things. Count on Ron to better my spirit. We both were drinking another cup of tea when he asked.

“Do you think about life after the war? Assuming we win, of course.”

“Not much. Right now, I just wanted to be in Hogwarts, going mad about N.E.W.T.’s”

“Hermione being Hermione” and laughed.

I laughed too and thought more seriously “After that, I think I’d like to help magical creatures. Give them rights for a fair treatment.”

“Again, Hermione being Hermione”

I laughed again “What about you?”

“I want to be rich!”

“That’s your plan? Being rich?”

“Of course! I was poor my whole life. I want to live with pockets full of galleons in my big house, my hot wife and our seven children.”

“SEVEN?”

“Why not?” He asked with a big smile “Isn’t it the most magical number? My mom had seven!”

“Yes, but your mom had to stay at home to raise seven kids. I understand what she did, but I want to work somewhere.” I said and raise my cup to take a sip. When I lowered it, I noticed Ron’s face paralyzed with his eyes and mouth wide open.

“Hummm …” he started babbling.

_Did I say something bad about his mother. What have I said exactly?_

“Hummm….. Well… Huuuummmm… “

_Wait... did I just implied that I consider me as the mother of Ron’s future children?_

“I don’t mind having just two kids... Maybe three?” he asked.

_Shit, Hermione. RUN!_

“Look at the time!” I said already standing “I should go, try to get some sleep, you know?!” and walked to the stairs that lead to the bedrooms upstairs.

“Hermione, wait!”

“What?” I asked with both feet already in the bottom step. Ron is way taller than me and as I turned to see him, the step gave me height enough to have my eyes the same level as his.

“Good night” and he put his hands on my waist and his lips on mine.

This felt good. I needed more. I just planned a future with Ronald Weasley and he kissed me.

So I opened my mouth, he opened his.

I put my tongue in his mouth, he put his back in mine.

I put a hand on his neck, and he put his on mine.

I slipped my hand up in his red hair, he grabbed mine.

He was mimicking my movements. He was giving me the choice of what he could do.

I liked this game. What should I do next? I remembered the feel of his body on mine. I wanted that. So I grabbed his T-shirt, turned us and pull him against me, pressing me to the wall. And he responded wonderfully, his tongue never stopped moving on mine.

I wanted more, I grabbed his bum and he quickly went to knead mine pulling me closer. I felt his lenght I felt it while his mouth was madly on mine, his tongue doing wonders. I was in heaven. Why haven’t we done this before?

_Nope, nope Hermione, stop thinking, you like this, you want this, he wants this, just stop._

But he sensed my hesitation again, so he put both hands in my face and started to kiss me slowly instead. This was far from pure lust. He was trying to show me something else. That kiss was pink and yellow and white. That kiss tasted of Ron. That kiss had his magic pouring into me. It was... It was... just… too much.

I broke the kiss and before I could say anything, Ron, still with both hands on my face, looked at me with his beautiful blue eyes and said.

“I’ll take from you whatever you can offer me.”

I was mute and he completed

“Whatever you want from me, it’s yours.”

What could I say after that?

“Good night!” and ran.

That night, Bellatrix had Lavender’s hair.

“hahahaha he will never choose you! Crucio!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	3. A Hard Day’s Night

If I had a journal back then, it would have an entry like this:

“ _Dear diary, pain is my BFF. It’s there when I wake up. It’s there when I walk. It puts me to sleep. Actually, pain is not my BFF, she is my wife and Bellatrix is fucking with me.”_

My hands and feet would pain constantly. I refused to go mad. I just focused on invading a bank with a lousy plan.

And we did, and we escaped, and we escaped Hogsmeade.

Then… Well, then… It was truly Ron’s fault. Really! I mean, how could I resist him when he was being so brilliantly clever and sexily speaking Parseltongue and willing to free the damn elves.

How could I resist that? We all could be doomed by the end of the day. I needed that mouth on mine.

So I kissed him in The Room of Requirement. And thank Merlin that Harry stopped us before the room provided a bed.

The rest is well known: Harry died, then lived and defeated the Dark Lord with an Expelliarmus.

And Molly killed the Bitch.

I looked at Bellatrix’s dead body. I had her wand and I was looking at her laid down, defeated. But she didn’t seem dead to me. Her eyes seemed to be looking back at me, mocking me and I could hear her laughter in my mind.

Ron put his hand on my shoulder and said “She is gone now.”

But she wasn’t. Not for me, at least. That night, I dreamt with her opening my skull with that bloody knife she used on my neck, between laughs, she told me “I live here now!”

I had an immensive headache when I woke up.

* * *

It was bittersweet: the war was over, but there were too many funerals of great people. Until this day I’m writing you, I often miss Dobby, Lupin, Tonks and Fred. The world lost a lot of color without them, particularly Fred who was buried with his clock pointer.

Harry and I stayed at the Burrow the following days, waiting for the Ministry make sure Grimmauld Place was safe again. They had a lot of work to do those days and securing the old Black residence just wasn’t at the top of the top of “to-do list”.

The British Ministry also contacted the Australian Ministry, who started tracking my parents.

Harry and Ginny were dating again right after he promised her he wouldn’t leave her, in case another Dark Lord showed up.

Molly was devastated with the loss of Fred. When she wasn’t cooking, she would be in her bedroom or gardening.

The other Weasleys were also miserable for days and my way of consoling is sticking around. Ron and I got really touchy: always hugging or holding hands. One day he lured me to his father’s shed, telling me his dad wanted to know what were these two identical things on the table.

“These are walkie talkies” I said once I put my hands on them.

“hmmm... are they dangerous?” Ron asked near my ear, his chest was touching my back now.

I laughed lightly “no... they’re used to communicate to one another, much like a telephone”

“hmmmmm” he put his hand on my waist and started slowly moving his nose against my neck. “What else?”

“They…” his lips were gently pressing my neck “they’re used for small distances” he started kissing my earlobe, his hands griping me harder.

“I like small distances” he kissed my mouth, his tongue moving on mine. I could feel him pressing himself on my bum and, before I knew it, I was moving against it, up and down, up and down, up and down. Both of us moaning.

It was too much. I broke the kiss and took some steps away.

“So yeah... that’s what they do. I mean the walkie talkies. You can tell your father that. I better go, Check on... on… Molly, yeah.” And walked away very fast.

That happened every time he tried a heavy snog in hidden places. I liked for a while, but some other feeling always came and I would stop what we were doing.

Either way, Ron kept trying to raise everyone’s spirit, even though his was quiet broken. He gave especial attention to George and helped him organize the shop to reopen. Ron seemed natural working in planning and also appeared to enjoy it.

“Fred would like that” seemed like George’s motto those days.

I rather lived those days recluse in the Burrow: reading, playing with Crookshanks, helping Molly with gardening and sometimes helping Ron help George.

Ginny and I slept in her bedroom. I kept silencing myself before bed and continued having the same nightmares in the Malfoy Manor with Bellatrix.

Days passed, one morning I was having my breakfast with everyone and Ron arrived, still in pajamas, gave me a “good morning” and a peck on my lips.

And no one seemed to care about the scene. No one stopped drinking tea, or reading The Prophet, or biting a toast, or whatever they were doing.

We were a couple. We became a pair before someone explained that to me. The thought bothered me for reasons I wasn’t sure.

_Wasn’t it what I wanted for so long?_

A brown owl swept by and dropped a parchment in front of Harry.

“Grimmauld place is good again.” Harry said reading the parchment. “Do you still want to live there with me, Hermione?”

“Yes! When do you want to move?”

“Tomorrow? Tonight we all have that thing.”

“That thing” was a party at The Ministry, who would give us, Golden Trio, Orders of Merlin and celebrate the end of war.

So later that day, we were all dressed up and Ron pulled me and kissed my lips again.

“You look beautiful. Is your dress new?”

“Thanks.” It was a simple red strapless dress. ”No… actually I wore it at Slughorn Christmas’ party”

“Oh” and Ron’s ears got red.

We arrived at The Ministry holding hands. The Prophet took loads of pictures. And my apprehension was rising.

We got our orders. Minister Shacklebolt gave his speech thanking us and informing what the ministry had been doing those days. Soon, there was music playing and Ron asked me to dance.

As we swayed, my thoughts went on the last time we danced, how Bill and Fleur’s weeding ended by Kingsley’s pratonus informing that The Ministry was down. Anxiety rising.

_Calm down. The war is over. You got everything you wanted a year ago. Calm down. Breathe._

But there she was. Lavender fucking Brown. Looking at us. She rose the glass of champagne she had in her hands in my direction toasting me with a smile.

I couldn’t breathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	4. Twist and Shout

“Hermione?”

Panic. Panic. Panic.

Ron dragged me. I hardly noticed that we were heading to the ladies bathroom.

“Mister, you can’t be here.”

“It’s okay. Breathe, Hermione… breathe... talk to me... what’s wrong?”

I finally caught my breath. I needed to know. I couldn’t go on with Ron pretending we had no past. So I asked.

“When?”

“When what?”

“When did you start liking me?”

“I’m not sure” Ron said confused “Sometime after Yule Ball. What’s wrong? Why … “

“Then why did you kiss Lavender?”

“What?” Ron’s ears were scarlet red.

“I asked you to go to with me to Slughorn’s party. You seemed to like that a-and you were charming and nice to me like I’ve never seen. W-What happened?”

“Well... You said that awful thing about my skills as keeper and Lavender was just there and…”

“You know well what I meant at the locker room and you understood what I said the way you wanted. Either way, you started being rude to me days before the game. Something changed you. What happened?”

Ron sighed “Ginny told me you kissed Krum.”

“What??” I got confused “Well... but…."

“WHAT? You didn’t snog Krum?”

“Well, I did. But I wasn’t with him by sixth year. Wait... Ginny said I kissed? You knew I wasn’t with him that time and you still….” Bile rising.

“Well... Yes I understood that th-that moment...”

“And you still started treating me bad and ended up kissing Lavender” anger hit me hard “YOU GOT JEALOUS OF MY PAST AND DECIDED TO PUT ME INTO TEARS FOR MONTHS BECAUSE I SNOGGED SOMEONE ELSE AGES AGO?”.

“Hermione, calm, please, I could never think I had a chance with you. If I knew I would never….”

But I wasn’t listening anymore, my mind just had one question and I had to know.

“Why did you leave the tent?” I asked angrily

Ron’s face became whiter “I really don’t think we should talk about this.”

“Why did you leave the tent?”

“Please, don’t make me say it.”

“WHY RONALD WEASLEY?”

“It was the locket! It kept telling me things...”

“What things?”

“I beg you, Hermione, don’t make me say it.”

“WHAT THINGS, RONALD?

“It said that you and Harry were a sure thing.” He exploded “It kept telling me that you and Harry pitied me… that you both wanted to be alone without me… that you snogged each other when I wasn’t around.”

Silence.

“Please, say something Hermione.” He tried to put his hand on my arm.

“Don’t touch me!” I said removing my arm and asked very lowly “You were jealous of Harry?” The volume of my voice was rising with every word “You were jealous of my BROTHER? You walked AWAY from us. Left us there, a muggleborn and Harry Potter, to DIE on our own, because of your own thoughts of jealousy of MY BROTHER?” Tears started rolling.

“Please, Hermione” and tried again to put his hand on me, again I pulled my arm “it was the locket” his eyes were red, tears on the corner of them “you don’t know what it did to me?”

“Don’t you DARE say that I don’t know what that locked does. Because I damn well know about it. You left ME and I had to wear that BLOODY thing around my neck. Do you want to know what it said to me?”

“Please… don’t…” so low I almost didn’t hear.

“It kept telling me that you and Harry never liked me. That you were both interested in my brain, just like you wanted my help on your homeworks…”

“Stop, you know that’s not true.”

“….and that whatever jealousy fit I considered you had, was because you thought of me as a sister, just like you went macho upon Ginny sometimes. The locket reminded me that in the end you would always choose a stupid bint…”

“Stop, Hermione.”

“.. why? There’s more. It told me that IF we got out of that hell of war, you both would leave me and since my parents don’t know who I am, I was bound to live alone since no one liked me. Rejected by both Magical and Muggle Worlds”

“STOP! IT’S NOT TRUE”

“Well, you didn’t need the end of war to leave me, so why wouldn’t I believe in it?”

“Hermione, please…” and Ron tried to put his hand on my arm again.

I had enough.

“I SAID DON’T TOUCH ME!!!” and pick up my wand and pointed it straight to his heart.

I finally looked at him. His face was red and wet. But he was decided. He took a step closer, the wand was touching him, making a hole in his shirt.

“Go on” he said “Curse me, if it makes you feel better. Crucio me, if you must. I don’t care.”

For a moment, I thought I would. I grabbed the wand closer. And when I looked at it, I saw it: I was holding Bellatrix’s wand. I was thinking about cursing Ron with Bellatrix’s wand.

I pulled the wand and broke it in half.

Then I sat on the bathroom floor and started crying desperately. I could hear voices.

“Please, Miss! Drink this! You better after!”

“Please, give me that. What’s your name?”

“Tilly”

“Tilly, can you please call Harry Potter for me. Tell him Hermione is not well.”

I was crying so hard. I screamed in pain. In my panic I started hearing her maniacal laugh.

“Please.. Don’t...”

But Bellatrix was there in the bathroom smiling, showing all her yellow teeth. She came closer and laughed “I don’t need my wand to cause you pain, Mudblood. Crucio.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH” The pain hit me hard.

“HERMIONE!!!” Ron was screaming.

I couldn’t stand the sound of him shouting my name. I begged him “Ron, save yourself! Leave the dungeon! GO!”

“HERMIONE!!!”

“Hermione?” Harry’s voice “What happened? HERMIONE???”

“Harry, save yourself. You’re more important!”

I felt Harry’s hands on my face. “Hermione, please calm down! We’re in the ministry! The war is over!”

I opened my eyes slightly and saw Harry’s green eyes.

“Breathe, Hermione!” he said “Drink this, please. It’s a calming draught."

I drank the thing. The draught made me dizzy, but it didn’t lessen the pain. Whatever happened next that night, I wasn’t sure whether I was sleeping or awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	5. With a Little Help from my Friends

A pull in the stomach. Someone was holding me.

“Where are we?” I asked with eyes closed.

“We’re in Grimmauld Place." Harry's voice "it's okay.”

“No! No! No! Harry NO! Yaxley caught hold on me, he KNOWS, he can...”

“Hermione, calm down, BREATHE…”

“Too late, mudblood! We’re here!!!” Bellatrix’ voice.

“No, NOO NOOOOO LEAVE!”

“Crucio, Mudblood!”

“AAAAAAAAARRGHHHHHH” Pain. Pain Everywhere.

“HERMIONE! HERMIONE, CALM DOWN PLEASE! PLEASE! We’re safe! The war is over! BREATHE!!”

Blackness.

* * *

I was in Hogwarts in the potions classroom, there was just one cauldron boiling. I went to smell it and soon recognized Amortentia. It had a very strong smell of Ron’s hair.

“hmmmm… Ron…”

“hum… yeah… it’s me..”

It wasn’t Amortentia, he was holding me. He was so warm and felt so wonderful.

The zipper on my back lowered.

“hmmmmm” I liked this… I kissed his mouth. He soon broke the kiss. I was lowered in a laying position.

“hmmmmmmmmmm” he removed my dress slowly. Strangely I didn’t feel cold. But he never lowered on top of me. I was alone and felt naked. He left me. He left me again.

“Ron?”

“He is never coming back, Mudblood!”

“No, please! NO!”

“Hermione, wake up!”

“Crucio, mudblood!”

“AAAAARRRGHHHHHHHH” Limbs contorting. My fingers were going to break soon.

“HERMIONE! HERMIONE! I’m right here! Calm down, please! PLEASE!!!” I felt Ron’s body hugging mine.

“Ron, you’re back!”

“I’m sorry! I’m so so sorry! Please, breathe!”

Blackness.

* * *

I was back in the manor. Bellatrix pointed her wand at me and cursed me.

“Where did you get this sword?”

“We found it! We found it ! Please!”

“I do not trust you, mudblood! Crucio.”

Pain would hit me again and suddenly Ron was soothing me, saying.

“Shh.. it’s okay.. it’s over.. my mom killed her.. calm down..”

Blackness.

* * *

Bellatrix had her knife in my forehead that was burning in pain.

“M-U-D-B-L-…” She was sing-saying while cutting my forehead in the shape of the letters.

“Hermione, wake up! It’s over! It’s okay... this isn’t working. I want to try something new.”

Blackness.

* * *

Bellatrix was laughing again.

“INCARCEROUS! Ha! Got you trapped, bitch!” I looked to the side. Ron was there holding a wand. “See Hermione I got her trapped! Do you see it?”

I looked at her and ropes were emerging keeping her binding on a chair. The ropes were also over her mouth.

“Yes” I answered frowning.

“Good! Grab this Basilisk fang” I felt something hard on my hand and looked down to see the tooth “I want you to stab her.”

“Ron, I-I-I can’t!”

“Yes, you can! Go on... just stab her with the fang! Just like the Hufflepuff’s cup, remember?”

I came closer to Bellatrix, her black eyes were staring at me, mocking me. She was tied, I had the Basilisk’s tooth and still she had more power over me than I had over her.

“I can’t.”

“Do it, Hermione! You have to let her go! Free yourself from her.”

Ron was right: I had to do this. I nodded and held the tooth high, but she kept her eyes mocking me.

“Do it!”

Without thinking more, I stabbed in the middle of her forehead with all the force I managed. I watched her explode into black smoke dissipating through the air.

“She’s gone” I said as relief hit me. I started sobbing and felt Ron hugging me close, soothing me while the tears kept pouring.

A while later, I pushed him lightly, I was laid on a couch and he was with me, looking at me with red eyes and wet face.

“Ron, I’m tired of feeling pain” I said almost as a whisper. My throat hurted and my voice sounded weird.

He smiled, took my hand, started massaging it and said “I think you can rest now.”

“Will you stay with me?”

He gulped. “For as long as you want me to.”

So I closed my eyes. And slept.

* * *

I was back in Hogwarts in the Great Hall. I searched the Gryffindor table and saw Ron’s red hair with his back to me. I was so happy to see him and as I approached the table he rose. He looked at me and said.

“Hello, Hermione, I’m sorry, I can’t talk to you anymore. This is Tilly” And he pointed to a blond girl sitting next to him. “I like to put my tongue into this stupid bint’s mouth. Her hair is shinny and she doesn’t fight back. So, you and I can’t be friends anymore.”

“Oh... okay... I understand” I answered and went for Harry that was on his side.

“Sorry, Hermione. I’m Ron’s friend. I choose him”

“Oh… okay…” I looked at Ginny.

“I’m Ron’s sister AND Harry’s girlfriend! What do you think?”

As I walked through the table Neville, George, Dean, Luna, Parvati… everyone was choosing to be with them.

Anxiety rising I tried to look around and my eyes landed on the Slytherin table. Malfoy looked at me with a smirk and said “Don’t even think about it, mudblood!”

Crabbe, Goyle, Zabbini, Parkinson, Umbridge, the Carrows… the table was full of pure-blood wizards of all ages, all looking at me with disdain saying “you don’t belong with us!”

“Hermione, wake up!”

I looked around once more and there was a small table with just my parents. My mother looked at me and said “Who are you?”

“No… please…. No…..”

“HERMIONE, WAKE UP!!!”

My eyes opened. Ron was looking back at me. He still was with the shirt he wore at the ministry. The one I made a whole in with Bellatrix’s wand. I was panting.

“It was just a dream” he said.

I seated and looked around. We were in Grimmauld Place’s living room. Both Ron and I were on the couch that was enlarged by magic to fit us both. Across from us, Harry and Ginny were waking up in a couch like ours. The window showed that the sun had risen.

I looked down and realized I was wearing pajamas. Ron answered my unasked question.

“Ginny went to the Burrow and got them. Harry put the top, Ginny put the pants.”

Ginny explained “Your dress was strapless, so Ron held you seated and I pushed the zipper. You... well… we laid you and just pulled down the dress with you on your pajamas already. No one saw your body”

“Oh” I said then remembered one particular dream from last night. “Oh” and blushed. “How many times have I dreamed?”

Ron answered very seriously “I lost count.”

“How are you?” Ginny asked.

“I’m fine, actually” my body wasn’t hurting as much as it has been every day. “Did you give me a Pain Relief potion?” I asked all

“We couldn’t” Ron answered. “Pain Relief with Calming Draught can put people in coma.” He said copying my words from weeks ago.

“We massaged you.” Harry explained “After Ron woke you up, he would massage your arms and hands, while Ginny and I got a leg and a foot each.”

“Oh... humm... t-thank you! It really helped…” I said embarrassed.

“How long have you been having these nightmares, Hermione?” Ron asked. My embarrassment turned full into shame.

“Since Malfoy Manor.” No point in lying.

“But you were screaming, we slept in the same room for weeks and I haven’t heard a thing.” Ginny said confused.

“I silence myself before going to bed every night.”

Ginny and Harry had faces hard to describe. It was confusion, worry, anger and pity at the same time. I looked at Ron and he just had a serious face.

I turned to him “the dream about stabbing Bellatrix. It was you directing me, wasn’t it?”

Ron nodded. “I put a cup in your hand. Did you sleep better after that?”

“Yes. Thank you. I only had one dream after that and it didn’t have Bellatrix.”

Before anyone said anything else, Errol was by the window holding a big package. Ginny went to receive the bird.

“Mom sent us breakfast.” She declared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "With a little help from my friends" is, in my opinion, a rare case where the cover is better than the original. Even Paul McCartney once stated thar he is "forever grateful" to Joe Cocker for this:  
> <https://youtu.be/hUNHXXJ9QeU>
> 
> * * *
> 
> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	6. I'm Looking Through You

Food’s on table, Ron was pouring us tea and I finally asked.

“Who’s Tilly?”

After a loud pop, a tiny elf with pink eyes showed up on the table.

“Miss! Miss! You is better, miss? Tilly worries. Tilly did not sleep worry!”

“Hummm hello... Yes. I’m fine. Thank you, Tilly!”

“This is Tilly” Ron answered “She works for the Ministry and was guarding the ladies’ bathroom.”

“Tilly is not Ministry. Tilly’s master died in war. He was a mean man” and with that she started banging her head loudly on the table.

“Please, stop hurting yourself Tilly!”

She did “Tilly has no Master. Would Miss be Tilly’s master? Tilly is good elf. Tilly help Miss.”

“EEeerrr” I said and looked around to see everyone holding their laughs “Tilly, you’re a nice elf, but I can’t be a master. I won’t have a slave and I can’t pay you.”

“Tilly don’t want money!” and started banging her head again.

“Tilly, stop that!”

“Tilly is sorry that Miss thought Tilly wanted something from Miss! Tilly serves Miss!” Ginny now was laughing loudly.

“Tilly, I’m not taking you as a slave!”

The elf started crying loudly “Tilly is bad elf. Miss don’t want Tilly!” Harry and Ron joined Ginny’s laughter.

Oh Merlin!

I thought fast and said “Tilly would help me going to Hogwarts and helping a witch named McGonagall”

The elf wiped their eyes. “Tilly can do that.” And more excited “Tilly help Hogwarts and help Miss!” and with a pop she was gone.

We started eating, after the laughs ended. Molly sent us pumpkin juice, eggs, toast, bacon, marmalade, sausages, butter and cheese. We ate in silence. After I finished, I said.

“Tilly looked a lot different in my dream!”

“Then why don’t you start telling us that dream?” Harry said.

I sighed “okay, it was the last dream I had. I was in the Great Hall of Hogwarts…..” I told the whole nightmare. The three listened to me carefully, just exchanging glances here and there. After I ended, Ginny was the first to say something.

“Ron told us about your discussion last night…”

“…and he told us what the locket said to you” Harry completed. “No wonder you had dreams like that. I’ve been a shitty friend.”

“No, you haven’t!”

“Yes, I have. After Ron left, you were crying everyday and I never asked you about it. I completely ignored the whole thing. I’m so sorry, Hermione!”

“You had your own problems, Harry, I don’t blame you.”

“You should. Why haven’t you told us about your dreams with Bellatrix?”

“Because… I just... well, first we were in the middle of war, planning how to rob a bank, then…” I looked at Ginny and continued “there were just too many funerals and sorrow, we survived and my problems paled in comparison.”

“Hermione” Ron said with a bit of anger in his voice “yesterday, you were writhing, your limbs contorting, you were screaming so loud, no wonder your voice sounds different today. You were reliving being torture by Bellatrix every night. This isn’t a small problem.”

“And we could’ve helped you” Ginny said “like we did, didn’t we?”

I nodded “Well… I know that now. And yes! You did help me. I’m so grateful for all you did last night… I just didn’t want you all to worry.”

Harry started “But now I worry that… look Hermione, Voldemort wouldn’t be defeated without you. We would be dead the first day and I just never thanked you enough.”

I gave a small laugh “It was my war too. I’m a muggleborn, remember?”

“Either way. I’m sorry I’m a shitty friend who ever made you feel unwanted. If things don’t work out… you know… between you and Ron, I could never not have in my life. You’re family to me. You’re the sister I never had.”

I had tears in my eyes, but Harry went on.

“I’m serious. And it’s beyond the fact that my life depends on you, I like your company and it makes me sad that you’ve been through so much sorrow on your own.”

“Oh Harry!”

He came closer and pulled me to a hug. I went on crying.

“I’m so sorry I’ve been a bad friend” Harry continued “I appreciate everything that you’ve done. Please, tell me things. I want to help you. You shouldn’t feel alone!”

“Will you go to Australia with me?” I finally asked.

“Of course!”

When we finally broke apart. Ginny came close.

“You’re basically the only girl I talk to, Hermione” we laughed. “Even if you don’t become officially a Weasley, I want you in my life too! Count on me always!”

I smiled and hugged her.

“Thank you, Ginny!”

When we broke the hug, I looked back at the table and noticed Ron there quietly observing us. Reality came to me and also to Ginny.

“Come on, Harry! They have a lot to talk”

“Just one minute. Hermione, we haven’t told the whole thing to you. When Ron held the sword to break the locket, it opened. What showed up… I saw what the locket did to Ron, It was nasty. Trust me” he came closer and said lower “I understand Ron’s actions aren’t always right, but he... he cares about you… A LOT” then he let Ginny drag him to the living room.

I looked again at Ron. I was clueless about what to do.

“I should take a shower” and ran upstairs.

“Hermione!“ Ron followed me as I went to the bathroom and before I could close the door, he was inside there with me. “You have no towel nor soap nor wand. How do you want to take a shower?”

“I… I…. I’m just gonna...”

But Ron grabbed his wand and quickly casted a Scourgify on both of us. “Can we talk? Please!”

I sighed. “Fine. Let’s use the room I slept here last time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	7. The Long and Winding Road

I sat on the bed. Ron closed the door and said.

“First of all, I make Harry’s words mine. I’ve been a terrible friend that failed to ask how you were after Malfoy Manor happened. I’m extremely sorry I didn’t pay enough attention to you.”

I nodded “Thanks.”

He looked at me for a while then asked “Where do we start?”

“The beggining, why don’t you explain to me why you dated Lavender.”

He sighed and sat next to me also on the bed “Because she was there. I’m not proud, but it’s the truth. I was feeling rejected, she was pretty, I haven’t kissed anyone and she was there. I never thought that you could look at me differently.”

“But I asked you to go to that stupid dance with me.”

“Yes. And a small flame of hope ignited. I can’t tell you how many ways I thought of how could I approach you and maybe try to kiss you on the way back to Gryffindor room. But when Ginny told me you kissed Krum… It was an Aguamenti on my small flame: if you could have Krum, why would you ever look at me?”

He continued “Please, don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I thought you couldn’t have a great guy. It just reminded me of how much better I should be to be a close competition, how you must think of me as a friend and invited me to the party as such and out of pity.”

“Well... it wasn’t. And stop flattering me, it’s annoying.”

“Is it flattering if it’s true?”

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up, Ron. It’s unbelievable that you think so little of yourself and so high of me. Either way, you claim you were sooooo into me and still went on with Lavender.”

“I had won the game, she asked for a kiss from “the best player” and I just did. I didn’t think we were about to become boyfriend and girlfriend until the next day when she was waiting for me for breakfast and kissed me good morning.”

“But you saw me crying. You saw me attack you with birds and you still went on with her. You should know I had something for you and you still went on.”

“I did like the thought that you were jealous of me, but that’s what it was: just a thought. It wasn’t enough to bet all my galleons on it. And Lavender made me feel good about myself. I liked to kiss her. The problem was that beyond a good kisser, there wasn’t much going there. We couldn’t make a conversation, so we basically snogged.”

“...a lot!”

“She rather we snogged in public, we hardly went to Broom Closets. Lavender was pretty traditional about… well… certain things, so she rather kiss with everyone looking so we would keep our hands to ourselves. Or that was what she told me.”

“You have doubts about that?”

“She likes attention. Kissing me, gave her that.”

“Did you even like her?”

“Maybe for a while. I know now I liked the idea of her more than the girl that was in front of me. She was pretty, she was there, she was nice to me and she seemed to like me.”

“Oh... she liked you alright!”

“Actually, I think she also liked the idea of me, more than me. Like I said, we hardly ever talked. We didn’t have a thing in common. I didn’t find her funny or smart or interesting or...” he looked at me directly “or you… she wasn’t you.”

I blushed, but I had to be strong “Ron, pretty words and all, but you were happily sucking each other faces before I went to the dance with Cormac. You wanted me so badly that you needed someone to remind you that?”

“But I never forgave you! I missed you so much. I did enjoy the feeling that somehow you could be jealous of me and when you said you were going with Cormac… the idea that you had moved on… It just stopped being funny imaging you jealous of me.”

His words made sense to me. I wasn’t completely sure I believed in them, but they were soothing.

“My turn now” Ron said “when did you start... having something for me?”

“I don’t know. When you threw up slugs for me?” we both laughed. “I remember wanting you to invite me to the Yule Ball. And I noticed that I wanted to go with you, not Harry or Neville or any other fellow Gryffindor.”

“But Krum showed up.”

“Yes... and he was popular, good looking, seemed nice. And you and I were friends. I thought you didn’t think of me as a girl. It was an easy yes.”

“Sounds a lot like how I started with Lavender”

“It’s different. If you asked me to the Ball first, I would’ve gone with you. Did you go to Slughorn’s party with me? Didn't you kiss Lavender after my invitation?”

Ron’s ears got red. “Was Krum your boyfriend?”

“Not sure you can call it that. We had some kisses in Hogwarts. But Voldemort showed up and we had to be safe in Grimmauld that summer. We became pen pals, as you remember.”

“I hated when you wrote him”

I smiled “anyway, remember I was going skiing with my parents in our fifth year winter holidays?” Ron nodded “Viktor was meant to go there to meet us. Big step and all. But your father, Ron, was attacked in the Ministry, so I just had to see you and Harry. Viktor didn’t take it nicely. We hadn’t seen each other in months and he thought I had a thing for Harry and accused me of that.”

I continued before Ron could say anything “He also failed to understand a muggleborn wanting to go back to a country with Voldemort in it. He offered me a place in Bulgaria many times, even after we broke up. I told him that my nature was to fight for what I know is right, that I wasn’t going to run from it. I asked him to fight with us, fight for us, or even use his name to bring alert to the world. He said he didn’t want to evolve in politics. I had little respect for that part of him and he would never understand me. We were doomed. So I broke whatever we were and came here.”

Ron smiled at me “I was so happy to see you in Grimmauld that holiday. You knew back then I was jealous of you about Krum?”

“I thought it could be... yes.”

“And you still were with him, even though you had something for me?” He said ironically.

I looked at him. “I guess it wasn’t enough to bet on it too. What a mess….”

“Big mess. It seems that both of us wanted one another for a long time and was so scared about it, that we ended hurting each other and ourselves.” Ron summarized the whole thing.

I debated for seconds if I should tell him this, but at the end we were being honest. I looked to the floor and started. “I don’t know when I started liking you, but I do know when I knew as a fact that I wanted you. Remember when Slughorn brew the Amortentia?”

“Of course! You smelled fresh cut grass and new parchment.”

I looked at him and completed “…and your hair.”

Ron’s eyes widened. He looked at my lips.

“Fuck, I want to kiss you now.”

I smiled, but looked down to the floor. I had to be strong “Tell me about the locket.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	8. Don’t Let me Down

Ron took a long breath. Then started.

The locket hyperbolized his own bad thoughts.

Thoughts about his mother craving a daughter when he was born. How he would always be a disappointment to his family. Never cool enough like Bill, or handsome and athletic like Charlie, or flawless like Percy, or funny like the twins, or a girl.

Thoughts of envy for his best friend. Harry was the chosen one. The savior. And Ron was doomed to be his side kick. Ron wasn’t special, Harry was enlightened. Who wouldn’t rather Harry than himself? The locket answered that surely the Weasleys would. And surely I would.

Thoughts of why would I ever chose Ron, when I was so close to famous quidditch player and the chosen one. Ron wasn’t handsome enough. Rich enough. Athletic enough. Good enough for me. And I would never look at him.

The locket made him feel like nothing.

In Ron’s words, he didn’t need a Horcrux to make him feel like nothing when he was in Shell Cottage, after he left us.

Finally, he told me about what the locket did when it opened. Between tears, he told me about the two ghosts of Harry and I tempting him with his own horrible thoughts and how we, eventually, kissed.

“I can’t apologize enough for leaving, Hermione. I don’t know if I will forgive myself. I keep thinking if I hadn’t find Harry in the pond, or if you went to Malfoy Manor without me, and you both barely escaped Godric’s Hollow, I should’ve been there.”

He continued “Not a day pass since I left the tent that I don’t regret what I did. I let my emotions get on the way of two of the most important things of my life.”

“Ron, I…”

“No, listen… I let my emotions get the best of me and, in the end, it wasn’t about me. Even if all of that was true, I had no reason to leave.” Tears were falling again “You had the right to be with Harry if you both wanted and my role as friend, was to stick around and help bring down You-Know-Who, because that was way bigger than my stupid thoughts.”

He looked at me and completed “Your both lives are way more important than my stupid thoughts.”

I hugged him and we both cried for some time. After a while I broke the embrace and said.

“I don’t know how to respond to that. It hurt so much then and it still does.”

“I don’t own a timeturner. I can only tell you I know I was completely wrong, I had no reason to leave and I profoundly regret it.”

We were both mute for a while.

Ron was the first to speak again “Before I left, I didn’t think I had a chance with you because of who I was. After returning to the tent, I thought I lost any chance I might had because of what I did. You can’t imagine how I felt when I kissed you and you kissed me back.”

I frowned “About that... you were so hesitant towards me before and then after you left you came back lighter. You thought you had less chance with me and started pining me to beds?”

He laughed “I didn’t plan that. I truly wanted to keep you in bed. To rest, you know? But answering you, I stopped caring whether you liked me or not, not because I didn’t want you, but because my feelings weren’t about me. They were about you… I just wanted you to be safe and happy and I wanted to stick around, if you’d let me.”

I let out a breath “I had very similar thoughts when you were poisoned by Slughorn’s mead. Did Harry tell you that you said my name in your sleep?”

“When?”

“Little after we entered the infirmary. Your family and Harry were discussing the incident and I was very quiet. I gave an opinion on the argument and you said my name.”

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I woke up and you were there.”

“What do you want for us?” I finally asked.

“Like I said days ago, whatever you can offer me. If you want friendship, I can accept that. If you want me, I’m all yours.”

My heart pounded loudly.

“Again... pretty words, Ron. The thing is I’m shitty at divination, I can’t predict the future, I can only look at the past and it isn’t good. Every time we were close to anything we caused too much sorrow on both of us.” Tears were falling again “how do I know you won’t have another confidence crisis and kiss another stupid bint?”

“Because I don’t want another stupid bint, I want YOU!”

“You wanted me before and that didn’t stop you!”

“But now is different!”

“HOW?”

“Be-because of this! Because of how open we’re being! Because we’re solving our miscommunications. Because this is the first time we are truly giving us a chance.”

Tears rolling again on my face. “So what?”

“Well, it changes things. Right?” Apprehension could be seen on Ron’s face “ok... fine... you’re right to say we can’t predict the future and we have the past to show us. And I can spend all my saliva saying that I’ll be better but that doesn’t change the past and I... And...” He said the last part more to himself then to me.

He looked at me, his eyes watery “and I don’t know what to say. Hermione you’re... you’re not only the brightest witch of our age, you’re gorgeous, you always do the right thing, even when it’s unpopular, and you’re so kind, you look at elves when no one cared, and you’re brave, hardworking, funny, I love talking to you and you’re my favorite person.”

“The truth is you don’t deserve me!” He continued “you deserve a rich famous Quidditch player, you deserve the savior of the world, you deserve so much. There should be a competition and the best man would win you as the prize."

He didn't stop "But I know i can tell you this: no one, NO ONE loves you like I do. Not Krum, not Harry, no other person cares for you and knows you and wants your happiness more than me. And I do love you. A lot.”

I was crying again when I said “I don’t think I can heal if you break my heart again. I’m just so tired of feeling pain all the time.”

“Then let me love you.” He put both hands on my face “Give me a chance to love you.”

I looked into his blue eyes. Mind racing about the right choice. Heart pounding. I removed my head from his hands, righted my face, pointed my index finger on his long nose and told him

“You listen to me Ronald Weasley, and you listen to me very carefully! I will have men in my life: friends, coworkers, whatever. I can’t live wondering if you’ll fight with me every time you see me talking to someone you think is better than you.”

I continued “I won’t tolerate any jealous fit. It’s way more likely that you’ll lose me for something stupid you did than because someone else interests me. Because I don’t want anyone else. You’re funny, and you’re handsome“ lips trembling, Ron’s eyes were watery and he was smiling “and you’re smart, and kind, and you’re my favorite person and I love you. Always have.”

Ron was smiling with all his teeth now, tears of happiness falling down “I promise you I won’t put you in a bad place because of my own insecurities.”

Eyes on his, I nodded.

“Can I kiss you now?” He asked.

“Please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	9. Love me Do

His hands on my face.

“I love you.”

Lips on mine.

“I love you so much.”

Lips pressing mine.

“I promise I’ll be good.“

Lips sucking my lips.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

_Ron, shut up and kiss me._

I opened my mouth and he responded me by moving his tongue against mine. One hand flew to my waist, the other grabbing my neck. I wanted more. I need to feel his body on mine.

So I maneuvered myself and straddled him.

_Yes, much better._

My arms were grasping his neck. His arms held my waist with strength. Tongues dwelling ferociously. I didn’t care I couldn’t breathe. I loved him, he loved me. I wanted him.

I needed more, I needed his skin.

I reached the first button of his shirt and unbuttoned it. One after another, I got all of them. When I reached the last button his arms left me just enough to take his shirt off.

His body was hot on mine. It felt wonderful. I maneuvered myself in a way I’m sitting on his right thigh and it’s hitting a wonderful spot of me.

My body started rubbing itself against his thigh. I moaned lowly in his mouth. He raised his thigh, I gasped. He raised again, I moaned. Never stopped rubbing against him or kissing him.

He broke the kiss and came close to my ear “Leave your smell on my pants and I’m never washing them again.”

His words made me mad. He started kissing my neck. I rubbed more harshly, he didn’t stop moving his thigh up and down. I was feeling so good.

“What do you want?” he said while sucking a particular point that was pulsing “I’ll give anything, tell me what you want.”

Fuck! I was feeling something great coming “You! I want you! All of you!” I was panting. Fuck, I was feeling glorious “You now the contraceptive charm, right?”

That froze Ron.

Which froze me.

He looked at me and babbled “Wh-wh-what?”

_Shit, he thinks I’m cheap whore._

“I mean…. I thought you wanted.. we-we-we don’t have to…” and tried to leave his lap.

His hands grabbed my waist harder and kept me still. “Hermione, if someone offered me a hundred thousand galleons or the opportunity to have sex with you, I’d take a few minutes to think about what position I would rather do first.”

I laughed “Then what’s wrong?”

“I just want to make it right. Whenever I tried a heavy snog before, you cut me. We just started us. We talked a lot! I just want to know that you’re doing because you want to, don’t want you to regret it.”

_Fuck, I love him._

“I always stopped because I felt something holding me back." I told him "I had doubts and fears upon us. But I think we solved things. Right now I don’t want to stop. I want more.”

“Fuck! Okay... there’re a lot of things that I want to do to you. Why don’t you let me show you something and if you’re okay... we go on?”

I smiled “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

He smiled back and put his hand on the bottom of my top. I raised my arms above my head and he slowly pulled up the pajama blouse. I still had the black strapless bra I had worn to the Ministry party.

“Fuck” he cursed looking at me. I bit my lip.

His hands slowly touched my whole back and stopped on my bra, unclasping it. It opened and he threw it somewhere on the floor. He looked at my bare breast and cursed again.

He kept staring at me. Then one of his hands found my breast and he kept passing his thumb on my nipple. I moaned.

“Do you like that, love?”

“Yes. Don’t stop!”

His other hand grabbed my arse pulling me closer, I gasped and felt his cock hard against me. He kissed me open mouth again. I started undulating against his body.

I could feel his bare torso on my skin, his tongue moving against mine, his hand torturing my nipple, his cock against my clit. We moaned loudly on each others mouths.

He maneuvered us without breaking any contact, I was laid down on the bed with him on top of me. He stopped kissing my mouth and moved his lips through my neck, stern and the swell of my breast.

His eyes were hot on mine when his tongue gently licked one nipple while my other one was still being tortured by his thumb. I closed my eyes, moaning loudly, feeling wonderful, getting somewhere, but suddenly he removed himself.

“What? Why?” I asked

The bastard laughed. “Did you like it, Hermione?” he kissed my stomach.

“Yes” and rolled my eyes.

His kisses were getting lower until his mouth found my pajama trousers and he pulled the string of them with his teeth.

He took a seat back, put both hands on the top of my pants and slowly pulled them down.

He came back and passed his finger through the top of my black lace knickers. I gasped. He looked at me, asking. I nodded and raised my bottom, so he pulled down my last piece of clothe.

I was completely naked in front of Ron for the first time. He was seating, staring at me and when I started to feel self-conscious he said “Fuck, you’re beautiful.”

He kissed my mouth once more. His hands were moving slowly down my body, until his thumb found my clit. I gasped. He did circular movements, I broke the kiss reaching for air and his mouth went down to my nipple again.

“Fuck! Don’t stop!” Closed eyes again.

He laughed and continued. He moved his hand and his middle finger went inside of me. I was seeing stars. He was sucking my nipple, curling his finger inside me and rubbing his thumb on my clit.

“Don’t stop! Don’t stop! Don’t stop!”

“Come for me, love”

I was arching my back, I was reaching it, I was falling, I was so close and then explosion.

I screamed. Loudly.

My brain was buzzing. I finally opened my eyes and watched Ron lick his middle finger with a smile on his face.

A knock on the door was heard.

“Hermione? Ron? Open up! Please!” It was Harry.

Ron got up.

He opened the door enough and stood there, blocking the room. “Oi Harry! Something wrong?” I heard Ron say.

“You’ve been there a long time and I heard Hermione screaming. What’s happening there?”

“Humm…. Not much we were talking and now we’re… just…. Humm… talking”

“Harry... I think we should leave” Ginny’s voice.

“I’m not leaving until I hear from Hermione. May I come in?” Panic hit me and I started to look for anything to cover me.

“NO!” Ron and Ginny said in unison.

“Why not? And why aren’t you wearing a shirt? And you seem to be sweating…. Oh….. Oh……” I could almost hear Harry blushing “Okay! Er…Good that you two worked out! We leave now.”

“Thanks Harry and Ginny! Bye!”

He turned around and his laughs died when he saw me bare naked in the bed, waiting for him.

I seated and asked “Can you lend me your wand? I don’t have one.”

He picked it up in his pocket and gave it to me. I did the contraceptive charm I knew for women. “You should do it too, just in case” and gave the wand back.

He did the male charm on himself, put the wand on the nightstand and looked back at me. “I l know it’s supposed to hurt the first time for girls. I don’t want you to associate the pain with... with what happened in the Manor. Say “stop!” and I will, okay?”

I nodded “Okay! Come here.” He approached and I opened the button and the zipper of his pants. He dropped them. He was wearing white boxers that showed a big volume. We were panting slightly. Heart was beating fast.

“Take your boxers.” He did. It was the first time I saw a cock in my life but I understood he was big. I had the strange will to lick it. My tongue wetted my lips instead.

“Fuck” he cursed lowly.

I laid down and he followed on top of me. He kissed my mouth. My hands were in his red hair, his arms were holding him above me by the elbows.

He broke the kiss “Open yourself to me, Hermione.”

I opened my legs. He continued do kiss me, press his tongue against mine and I felt the tip of his member moving on my entrance. I felt so good, but he pushed it a bit and it burned. I grumped. Why people do this?

“Calm down! Breathe! Tell me if I can push more?”

I breathed, relaxed a bit and nodded. Pain again hit me. It was ripping me apart.

“Relax please!” He kissed slightly my check, my neck “I love you. It will feel better. Do you want to stop?”

I debated for a while “No.” breathed more “Go on!”

He did. And started thrusting. It felt better. Eyes still closed. After a while it started to feel good. I moaned and he went further, rubbing me from inside.

One arm was still holding him above me, the hand of the other arm found my clit and started rubbing it. I was feeling very good. The sweat. The rubbing of his skin against mine. The sound of pounding. His smell invading me. The noise of his breath. Sensation was overwhelming me. He fucked me harder, rubbed my clit harder and then I was arching my back, mind buzzing, reaching, reaching, reaching and I screamed my second orgasm.

Ron came a little after.

He removed himself, laying down on his back next to me. He grabbed his wand on the nightstand and made a Scourgify. I rolled and laid half my torso and a leg on top of him still panting, head still buzzing. He put one arm around me and slowly passed his hand on my back.

Exhaustion found us.

And we slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	10. I'm Only Sleeping

Something good and warm was under me. But there was a noise disturbing my perfect bubble.

The good and warm started to move and I held tighter making a disapproving whine.

A small laugh, a little kiss on my head “Be right back" and I let the tenderness left me.

Some noises of ruffling clothes, opening door and “Bloody Hell, Harry... I might go into books as the one who successfully killed you!”

I smiled and returned to peacefully sleep on my belly.

* * *

“Hermione, love, wake up!” Ron was seated on the bed and was touching my back lightly.

“mmmmm why? I’m just napping! Let me sleep!”

“Harry invited us to eat breakfast.”

“But we just had breakfast.”

“Well... we slept the whole day.” His hand was passing up and down my back.

I finally opened my eyes, but kept my head on the pillow. “What do you mean?”

“What I said. It’s around 9 a.m.”

“We slept the whole day?”

“I guess we needed a good rest” His hand was still moving up and down my back, getting lower with every pass “Did you sleep well? Any dreams?”

I frowned and lifted my head to face the headboard. “Not that I remember. And my limbs don’t hurt, so I guess not.”

He sighed “I’m so happy and relieved, you can’t imagine!”

“Me too. Thank you” I looked back at him and smiled. “Thank you so much.”

“Thank you for what?”

“You made me kill the Bellatrix in my head.”

Ron smiled “I’m glad I could help. So are you all good?”

I rested my head back on the pillow, enjoying the feeling of his hands on my back “I actually feel sore in my... well... you know...”

“I don’t think I do” Ron said with a feigned innocence “tell me Hermione, where are you sore?” His hand on my back was pressing more firmly.

I rolled my eyes. “You won’t let it be until I say it, right?"

“Of course, love!”

“My pussy is sore.”

“Mmmm.. that’s bad..” His hand was moving lower and firmer “why’s that? What happened?”

I rolled my eyes again “You fucked me, Ronald!”

“Yes. I fucked you alright!” and he bit my bum.

“Auch!”

“Not sorry! You have an amazing arse, did you know that?”

Two can play that game “Actually, Viktor said that once.”

He spanked my bum hard. “Auch!” I had a difficult time pretending not to like it.

“Definitely, not sorry.” He said just a bit harsher. “Naughty.”

“I was joking. And I know my arse isn’t amazing. It’s full of stretch marks.” I said with my head still on the pillow.

“You mean this one” And he passed a finger on one of my checks.

“Probably”

He went down and kissed that spot.

I felt him move. He laid down on top of me with his head lining with my bum “What about this big one?” and passed his finger on another part of my arse.

“yeeeaaaah..”

He licked it. Roughly. I moaned.

“What about this cute little one?”

“Yes!”

“It is so cute and little. You can’t possibly don’t like it”

“YES! Please!”

He suck it while his hand grabbed the other cheek, kneading it. He continued pampering kisses through my arse and I moaning.

“Turn around for me, love.” He murmured to my bum.

My eyes went wide “but I-I’m sore!”

“If you don’t like it, I stop.” He raised himself by his elbows in a plank movement.

I debated for a while, but turned.

Ron kept holding himself by his elbows. His head was lining with my cunt, but he was looking in my eyes and smiling “Hello beautiful!”

I smiled back “Hi handsome!”

He turned his head to my pussy and gave a long smell. He picked my left leg, put it on his shoulder and gave a small kiss on my thigh. He picked my right leg, put it on his other shoulder and gave a small bite to my thigh. I gasped.

Ron put a little kiss on my clit and my body was humming. I closed my eyes and my hands went to grab the pillow under my head.

His both hands went to knead my ass, holding me. He gave a bigger kiss in my clit. Then he sucked it. I moaned.

“Fuck!”

He moaned while sucking me. My body started shaking but he quickly removed himself “Did you like it?”

“So much, don’t stop!”

He came very close to my clit and said “You were very naughty talking about that other guy while completely naked on bed with me, you know?!” I could feel his breath on me on every word.

“I’m sorry.” I was undulating almost throwing my clit on his face.

“What’s my name?”

“Ron.”

He put his tongue inside me. He was French kissing my cunt. Fuck, his tongue. It was wild in me. I need to build a monument for his tongue.

“Ron!” and he moaned approvingly inside of me. My feet were flat on his back and kept rubbing him. Thanking him.

One of his hands left my ass to find my clit, and he started doing small circles on it. I was thrusting.

He kept his pace. His tongue inside of me. His thumb rubbing my clit. His hand grabbing my arse. My legs started spasming, my mind was blank.

“RONALD” I said between pants.

I felt it coming, it was coming, it was so close….

“BILIUS”

It was there. I came hard screaming.

“WEEAAASLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYY”

When my mind could function again, he was next to me, laying on his side. His hand holding his head up and face glistening shining a smile from ear to ear.

“Hungry?” he asked.

“Yeah. You?”

“Actually, I ate a lot of pussy this morning.” So silly. We laughed.

“What about you?” I asked “Don’t guys get blue balls or something like that?”

“I’m okay. I just wanted to do this for you. Besides Harry gave us towels and clothes he picked at the Burrow. I’ll go and take a long shower.”

I bit my lip “May I join you?”

* * *

On that May morning, in the bathroom of Grimmauld Place Number 12, London, England, Earth, I discovered how good it felt to lick Ronald Weasley’s cock.

“Fuck, Hemione, fuck”

…to press my tongue in a very little ball between his head and the rest of his cock.

“Fuck, fuck, don’t stop!”

…to have the head of his cock inside my mouth.

“Hmmmmmm fuck, fuck!”

…to have all I could fit of his long thick cock in my mouth.

“Fuck, Hermione, FUCK!”

…and suck it.

“I’m gonna cum, I’m gonna CUM!”

…and swallow it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	11. Eight Days a Week

Those days in Grimmauld Place were wonderful.

We ate, we slept, we fucked.

Besides that, Ron was still helping George and we would visit the Burrow to support Molly and Arthur.

But other than that, it was about it: Eat, Sleep, Fuck. It was a bliss.

And we fucked a lot!

One day, Ron got me completely naked, my knees on the bed, my hands glued on the headboard with a spell. I was facing the wall with my nude bum held high. His bare chest was on my back.

“Tell me” he said next to my ear, his left hand on the headboard and the right one on ickle Ronniekins. The bastard was slowly passing the tip of his cock on my clit “What do you want, love?”

“You! Please make me come, please.”

“hmmmm..” he lined his cock on my entrance and kept passing the head there “can I make you come?”

“Yes!”

“How?”

“Fu-fucking me.”

“Do you want me to fuck you?”

“YES!”

He pushed his cock inside me very slowly “Say it”

“Fuck me Ronald Weasley, please!”

He was in a very slow pace “Do you like my cock?”

I was moaning. This man was going to kill me. “YES. I love your cock!”

“Say it!” His right hand found my breast and was twisting my nipple.

“AAAhhh.. I love your cock!”

He was thrusting faster. My body moved against his on its own, searching him.

“I love your big long cock!

His left hand was still on the headboard giving him leverage. His right hand left my breast and lowered until found my clit and started rubbing it. His pace was harder.

“I love your big long cock fucking me!” Mind was blanking. I could only take small breaths and move my body against his.

“Whose cock, Hemione?” harder, harder, harder “WHOSE COCK????”so good, sooo gooooood, sooooooo gooooooooood.

“I LOVE RONALD WEASLEY’S BIG LONG COCK FUCKING ME AAAAAAAAAARRRGHHHHHHH!” And we both came. Hard.

The fact that Ron could make me come beautifully did wonders to his confidence. But sex, back at that time, meant to us more than that: it was a celebration of the end of the war and our survival, it was the confirmation that we were together, it was his smell on me and my smell on him… and it was damn fun!

After we could breathe again he put a small kiss on my shoulder “love you.”

“Love you too”

…and sex was also about love.

“I don’t get it.” I said later buttoning my shirt. “You’re very good at this, but you were a virgin, right?”

“I guess I’m natural” he said and gave me a wink. “Actually blame it on the other Weasleys. There had to be an advantage about living with 5 horny older brothers who talked a LOT about sex.”

“All five? Even Percy?”

“Percy is the worst. He has very peculiar kinks. I can’t look at Penelope Clearwater and not blush.”

I laughed. He went on “They all gave me tips like finding the clit and how to make a woman come. They also kept advising me on ways I could win you over. Bill and I talked a lot about you both times I was in Shell Cottage. The twins even gave me a book once to help me gain you.”

“Really?” I asked rather excited “You read about making a move on me? Which book was that?”

He laughed “I should’ve known, Hermione Granger and books… “Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches”, surprisingly is not all about wandwork.”

I laughed “When did they give it to you?”

“Right after the end of sixth year, before you arrived at the Burrow.”

“You were nicer to me, I remember.”

Ron sighed “I miss Fred. He’d love to know we’re together.”

“I miss him too.”

* * *

If you think the nightmares ended for good, you’re wrong.

But Ron was the first to have one.

“HERMIONE!!” He was screaming, convulsing in bed.

“Ron, wake up! Please!” I said trying to hug him, but he kept moving.

“HERMIONE!! HERMIONEEE!!!”

“Love, I’m safe! Wake up, PLEASE!!”

He opened his eyes widely, looked at me and asked “Are you alright?” He was passing his hands through my body, checking me “Are you safe? Are you good?”

“Ron, I’m fine. It was a dream!”

He frowned “Why are you naked?”

“Because we had sex!”

“Did you like it? I didn’t force you or anything, did I?”

“Love, relax, you had a bad dream” and I hugged him, finally “just a dream, everything’s good.”

“It shouldn’t be you, Hermione” he was sobbing now and gripped me tighter “It should be me. I failed you.”

“No, you didn’t” tears falling from me too “I don’t blame you, it’s Bellatrix’s fault and you saved me. You saved me, Ron.”

His cries eventually died out and we could sleep.

He told me later that in the night we met in Shell Cottage’s kitchen, he had a very similar dream.

My nightmares happened once every five or seven days, which was a high improvement. And Ron was always there waking me up and caring for me.

* * *

Harry and Ginny were on his own fuck-marathon. We mostly saw them in meals that Kreacher happily cooked for us.

Days later, we received an owl from Mr. Ollivander declaring he finally reopened his shop. We all went to Diagon Alley the next day and both Ron and I got new wands. He felt relieved that he wouldn’t have to use Wormtail’s stick anymore.

After wand shopping, Ron, Ginny and Harry went to see Quidditch equipment and I went to Flourish and Blotts because… well… I and books.

So I had already pick a book and was flipping through another that was about the Globin Rebellions, but this one seemed to hold high prejudice against those creatures, the author even wrote that the globins were to be blamed for their own genocide since th…

“Look who’s here! The Golden Girl herself!”

“Oh... hi Cormac!” My mind kept thinking that if he takes too long here, I may have to test my new wand on him.

“That book you have is very good. The author’s vision changed mine.”

“hummm” I hummed trying very hard to not roll my eyes.

“I read a lot of books during the past few months, my mom made me stay at home, you know how dangerous these wars can be….” And he kept going on. Whatever he was saying, it was white noise to me and I kept reading the book, trying to find something worthy on it.

A hand on the small of my back broke my trance estate “Hello, McLaggen!” said Ron and offered his other hand to him.

Cormac shook Ron’s hand “Weasley!”

Ron turned to me, ears red, pale face “Love, we’re heading to the Leaking Cauldron. Whenever you’re ready, meet us there.”

“Okay…” It was all I managed to say.

He gave me a peck on my lips “See ya” and turned to the other boy “McLaggen.”

“Weasley.”

Ron left me there alone with Cormac in a recluse aisle of the bookstore without looking back at me. I watched him walk away.

“Guess you two are official now.” Cormac said “well... if you’re up to another kind of fun I’m…”

“I’m not! Excuse me!” I said deciding that the Goblin book was indeed awful and I really didn’t want it. I paid for the one I chose and went to the Leaky.

Ginny, Harry and Ron’s red ears were already seated. They showed me the things they bought, I showed mine, we talked, we ate and after dessert Ron asked.

“So... How’s McLaggen?”

“Annoying” and held my boy's hand.

Ron smiled, held me back and relaxed a bit.

That day I learned an important lesson: People may not have control over their emotions, but they do have control on the actions they do upon those emotions.

Ron was jealous? Yes! But he didn’t ask me to leave or fought Cormac or complained that I talked to him or any other stupid thing. Instead he chose to trust me and left his negative thoughts to himself.

He wanted reassurance of us when he kissed me, but didn’t force me to do anything that I wouldn’t normally do. If he doesn’t act like an asshole, I don’t mind giving him safety vibes that we’re together.

It was the first time I stopped and felt glad I gave us a chance. The first time I thought that we could work things out.

At night, I rode him like a wild Hippogriff.

* * *

The Australian Ministry found Monica and Wendell Wilkins. Bags packed, portkey at hand, wands in pockets: Ron, Harry and I arrived in Australia.

It was chaos.

Once I removed the memory spell and convinced them I was their daughter, we hugged and cried for a while. They remembered Harry and Ron, who was introduced as my boyfriend, and we all had lovely dinner talking about the war time with big euphemisms.

The next day, their minds changed. They had decided that life in sunny Australia was better than cold, harsh England. They had also decided that I should move with them and forget about magic, since, in my dad words, “why do you want to be part of something that is rejecting you all the time?”

I said there were good people and assholes both in Magical and Muggle Worlds. They disagreed. Eventually my mom said:

“If Ron truly loved you, he would like to keep you protected in a safe place, not drag you to war for his kind” I’m sure somewhere Viktor was laughing.

I was livid. “But it IS my kind! I AM a witch, I BELONG to the magical world and I’ll fight for what I think is right!”

I left after 4 days of constant fighting.

My parents are loving and caring people, but are also very middle-class dentists, thank you very much. Our world and political views conflict in every aspect. Therefore, I decided it’s just best not to ask about their opinion on things. But I love them, appreciate all the thing they’ve done for me and we talk every week.

* * *

Summer loving had me a blast. Summer loving happened so fast.

Our summer of love ended when Ron’s Auror training started. He obliged me and Ginny to sleep in the same room in the Burrow after he was gone, so she could wake me up when I needed it.

Before leaving, he gave me a walkie talkie.

“My dad charmed it, so it works without those muggle’s things“ he meant batteries “and we can talk wherever we are. Just press this button and I’ll hear you on the other one.”

Needless to say there was a lot of crying when we hugged goodbye.

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	12. Because

Ginny and I shared a bedroom in Hogwarts, being both seventh years. She kept an eye on me there also: woke me up and calmed me when I had my nightmares.

I decided not to take Dreamless Sleep potions everyday, but Madam Pomfrey got me Pain Relief that I would keep on my nightstand and take one after a bad dream.

The seventh year students had special permit to go to Hogsmeade on weekends, but Ron and Harry were very busy, first with auror training and then with auror duty. Mostly, we saw once a month only.

Ron and I talked every day through the walkie talkie’s.

“Ron, I love to talk to you, but I don’t have your smell or your skin here with me. It’s not the same. I miss you.” I said one day after another weekend he couldn’t come.

Days later, an owl brought me a dildo that mimicked him: it was shapped as Ron’s cock, felt as his skin and would fill the air with his smell. George’s invention. It was VERY useful. Especially during walkie talkie sex.

Tilly was vivid when she saw me in Hogwarts. She kept serving me tea and scones when I was reading. She also brought me dinner, when she knew I was studying late and forgot to eat. I only called the elf to check on her and, in those moments, we’d talk for a while and share the tea and scones.

The year passed and I was completely stressed over N.E.W.T’s, studying like… well… like me. On top of that, Ron and I hadn’t seen each other for two months. Even the dildo wasn’t enough for me anymore.

So I was in the library revising for my Defense Against the Darks Arts’ test on my table in a aisle that I knew I was the only regular and imagine my surprise when I heard Ron’s voice.

“Hi!” I froze on my seat “Ginny sent me an ultimatum: either I showed up and calmed you or she would eventually Avada you.”

“You’re in your auror robes.” It was all I could say. It was the first time I saw him like that.

”I came straight from work, sorry!”

Fuck, he looked hot. “Don’t apologize. I like them… a lot!”

Ron smirked “Well, you’re wearing uniform too.”

I leaned back on my chair pushing my breast up. “You saw me many times in my Hogwarts outfit.”

He made serious face “Not once since I fuck you.”

I bit my lip.

After Ron warded the aisle, he got on his knees, crawled under the desk, removed my panties very slowly and said “Never ate your pussy with you like this, Miss Granger.” And his mouth did its magic.

After I came, he pulled me up and fucked me against a bookshelf.

“I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too” I said laid on the library floor looking disheveled.

“What were you studying?” He said getting up and fetching the book that I had before.

“DADA.”

He seated next to me with the book in his hand “What can you tell me about Lethifolds?”

I looked at him and frowned.

He looked back and said “Are they dementors?”

“No, they’re not! It’s a common mistake because their shapes ensemble and you combat them with a patronus charm. But Lethifolds are found in tropical climates and they’re considered beasts whilst Dementors are non-beings. Also Lethifolds attack…..………..”

* * *

I got Outstanding in DADA and all my other N.E.W.T.’s. Graduation happened and I rode the boat backwards.

“McGonagall offered me a position as DADA Professor.” I told Ron in the graduation party for me and Ginny that was happening in the Burrow.

“And what did you answer?”

“I said I’d think about it.”

“Hummm... would you like that? Be a teacher?”

“I think so, yes. I’d have free pass to the restriction section of Hogwarts' Library.” i joked.

He gave a small laugh. “If it’s what you want…” and didn’t sound excited.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s your choice.”

“Ron!”

“You once told me you’d like to help magical beings”

“Teenage wizards and witches are magical beings.”

Ron laughed “Being a professor is a very fulfilling job, but I always imagined you fighting for elves, werewolves, centaurs or what else. But it’s your decision. Whatever you want, I’ll back you up.”

Ron’s words made sense. I owled Kingsley the next day and the Ministry had a place on the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, that he was very happy to offer it to me. And I took it.

Ron helped me dodge a bullet: in the Department, we created laws to protect elves, werewolves, centaurs, merepeople.. even goblins. Name the creature and we would do something to help them.

Years later, I was called to work on the Department of Magical Law Execution and eventually became head of it. I currently and proudly am the Minister of Magic, first muggleborn to fill the position.

More than a year after my graduation, it was my time to help Ron dodge his bullet.

We were living in a small apartment. Tilly was with us, after I made her promise that she wouldn’t by any circumstance hurt herself and she’d receive a salary. On my free time I taught her how to read and write. She became fan of comic books.

Ron arrived in our apartment “Fucking fuckery fuck!”

“What happened today?” I asked half reading my book and half listening to his same complains.

“Idiots! All of them! Imbecils!”

“Yeah.... I know…”

“These fucking protocols. They don’t make sense.”

“Yeah…” 

“I mean… Who made them? They’re just a bunch of stupid paper.”

“I know, love…”

“Anyway, what do you want to eat?”

“Yeah, I know... bunch of stupid things, love."

“Hermione, are you listening to me?”

I took my eyes away from the book and looked at him “Wait, what?”

“I asked what you want for dinner.”

“Oh... I just had a sandwich. I’m good.”

“Great. I have a bad day, come home and my girlfriend doesn’t care.”

“Ron, I’m sorry. But you’re always complaining about the same things at some point I stopped listening. I’m sorry.”

“Harry complains about work too."

“Well... everyone complains about work. But do you actually like what you do?”

“Sometimes yes, sometimes no”

“humm” and returned to my book.

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s your life and I support you.”

“Hermione?”

I closed the book and looked at him “Fine. You always complain about exactly what your job is. I just don’t see you happy there.”

“People don’t have happy faces while working.”

“True, but do you feel fulfillment at some point.”

Ron gave some thought “Hardly, but what should I do then?”

“Dunno. You once told me that you wanted to be rich. You’ll have a comfortable life working at the ministry, but you won’t get rich. Your father worked there and you complained about your families’ money.”

“I suppose…” Ron went to the kitchen and got back minutes ago with a slice of yesterday’s pizza on his hand. “George offered partnership again.”

On weekends, Ron was still helping his brother with WWW.

“And what do you think about that?” I asked.

“I’m actually good with numbers. I can understand them. George proposed that I would run the business and he would be in invention and fabrication products.”

“Would you like that?”

“Dunno.”

I did some research and gifted Ron with a great muggle business book. It was the second book Ron read with gusto in his whole life.

“See Hermione, George has been doing wrong strategy all this time. Look at these charts, it’s clear we shouldn’t focus on selling Pygmy Puffs” He told me and Harry on lunch in the ministry cafeteria.

“When did you do all these charts?” Harry asked.

Ron got a little embarrassed “…when I was bored at work.”

“Do you still have doubts about taking George’s offer?” I asked.

“Would you think less of me if I’m not some big noble auror and became owner of a joke shop?”

“Of course not. More than anything, I want you happy. But... do you think... you can keep the uniform?”

So Ron became half owner of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. I got him other business books and he read all of them.

Eventually, he started saying things like “The Ministry is so pro Weber” during our lunches.

Other than liking to study business, Ron’s chess-player analytical mind was perfect for strategies and the shop grew. He became poster boy of “shouldn’t judge a fish by its ability to fly”.

Along the years they opened branches in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and sold by owl to Durmstrang, Ilvermorny and Castelobruxo.

Some years ago, Ron also became interested in Muggle Stock Market. He lost some money in the beginning, but once he better understood how to do it, he made a lot of pounds.

In the end, Ron became rich. Not Malfoy rich, but he was the gold in Golden Trio.

Oh… yes! He kept the uniform.

The shop even has a special line for adults called “WWW XXX”.

The most popular product is a dildo that could be made specially based on someone the buyer wants or the one called random, that I discovered it was based on Charlie (Hurray for Charlie!). The costumes are very popular too. There’re also toys for people more willing to hardcore kinks. This line is called PERvY.

* * *

In June 2002, Ron and I had two weddings and, needless to say, Harry and Ginny were our best man and woman on both of them.

The first one was a small muggle ceremony in Sidney for my parents and their friends.

The second was a big magical one in the Burrow. I walked the aisle at the sound of “Because”. I wore a slim white dress that was glowing like a patronus. I’ll never forget Ron’s smile as he saw me.

Harry and Ginny got married in March next year and, needless to say, Ron and I were best man and woman. Poor Ginny didn’t drink any alcohol that day: she was two months pregnant. James was born in October that year and, needless to say, Ron and I are his godparents.

So life was good and Ron had pockets full of galleons, a big house, a (ahem) hot wife and… and… what was the other thing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weber is Max Weber. This guy:  
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber>  
> He is on the most important theorist that ever lived and wrote, among other things, the bureaucratic model. 
> 
> "Because" is a Beatles' song that has a very churchy feeling. I love this version  
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bdqdO5LAIA>
> 
> * * *
> 
> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	13. Helter Skelter

Bellatrix’s laughter was invading me. She had her knife in her hands.

She stabbed my lower belly once.

“No”

Twice.

“Please! Don’t!”

Many, many times.

“Please, stop! PLEASE!!”

“Wake up, love! Wake up, please!”

I opened my eyes, Ron was hugging me.

“I’m awake, thanks!” I said between pants.

He tried to massage my hands.

“I’m fine” I removed them to put around my bellybutton “auch.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m having awful cramps. Bellatrix was stabbing my belly.” I said grumping.

“That’s probably why you wetted the bed. Lumos”

It wasn’t pee. It was blood. A lot of blood.

“Ron… I’m….. not….…… well………..…”

“HERMIONE!”

I blacked out.

* * *

Next thing I remember I was in a room that wasn’t mine. There was Ron with a puffy red face, Harry looking concerned, Molly and Tilly with watery eyes and a very serious small woman with gray hair. She was the first to say anything.

“Good morning, Mrs. Granger. You are in St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. My name is Healer Valkyrie Lukacs, I’m specialized in Witch’s health and I attended you. I’m sorry to inform, but you had a miscarriage.”

I looked at Ron with water in my eyes and trembling lips. He sniffed and nodded.

I started sobbing and Ron seated on the bed and hugged me.

“Did you know you were pregnant?” he said between tears.

“I didn’t! I swear, Ron! I promi..”

“It’s okay, love!” and kissed my cheek “It’s not your fault!”

When I finally could breath the healer offered me a Calming Draught which I took.

She then explained that Ron and Harry have told her about my torture and my nightmares. She said the fetus was 6 weeks old and didn’t suffer. Finally she asked everyone to leave.

“Can my husband stay?” He was still holding me.

She looked at him and nodded. So the rest left.

She explained that I lost a lot of blood. If Ron took longer to take me to St. Mungos, it could be fatal.

She explained that it was practically a miracle that I got pregnant on my own.

She explained that once my body understands that I’m pregnant, it contracts itself, so in the case I got a baby in me, the chances of miscarriage were high.

And lastly, she explained that if the baby stays in my belly long enough, delivery would be complicated and could kill both of us.

So she strongly advised against me getting pregnant again.

But there were techniques and potions that could help me “Do you want to hear about them?”

I looked at Ron and he was white. I remembered his dream of having seven children that could be two, maybe three.

So I looked back at Healer Lukacs and nodded.

* * *

What followed were the worst months of our marriage.

I had three potions to drink every day. Ron had one potion and a wank probation on the days near ovulation period.

Sex became mechanical. It had the right day of the month, right position, right position after sex, right body temperature, I had to do two charms before sex and three charms and a potion after. We even had to calculate where Venus was in the sky.

Monthly sex evolved a lot of things. My orgasm wasn’t one of those things.

And month, after month, after month, I wouldn’t get pregnant.

Everyone had encouragement words.

“You’re doing everything right! Eventually will come” Harry told me holding James.

“It will happen, dear, and then you’ll see what a bless children are” Molly would say.

“Just relax Hermione. Once you relax, Ron will put a baby in you” Ginny.

I wanted to punch everyone in their stupid faces.

I just wanted a living soul to tell me “It’s okay to fail. Life will go on.”

I became bitter. I’d take extra work to stay in the Ministry alone for more time.

I had trouble talking to Ron. I stopped laughing at his stupid jokes. His mere presence would put me in agony. We became roommates who fucked once a month and fought a lot about the most imbecile things.

And every month my test would be negative.

Ron started to drink Firewhisky constantly. I wanted a destructive behavior for myself too.

One day, after Ron insisted that my work could take a break, we went to the Burrow for Victoire’s birthday. Once we sang “Happy Birthday”, Ginny declared she had an announcement. She was pregnant. Again.

Harry looked at me asking "how I was" with his eyes. I put on my best fake smiled, hugged him and lied “I’m so happy for you.”

After cake, I excused myself to finish work at the Ministry. I went to my office, silenced it and cried for hours. When I got home, Ron was already asleep on his side of the bed.

“I’m so sorry, Ron” I said very low.

Weeks later, I was in my work desk dreading it was sex day, but there was a knock on my door.

“Hello, Herm-own-ninny!”

“Viktor, hi, please take a seat. What’re you doing here?”

“I’m here for the Bulgarian Department of Sports. We had a reunion here with other countries about the next World Quidditich Cup.”

“Oh… yeah... I heard of that.”

“The meeting just ended. I heard good things about this new restaurant “le sorcier”. May I take you to lunch?”

_Danger, Hermione, Danger._

“humm... yeah... I’ll grab my purse and we can go”

On my way out I bumped into Harry.

“Hmpf Hermione... Oh hello Krum.”

“Potter! Weasley!” Ron was behind Harry.

Harry told me “We c-came to grab you to our lunch.”

I avoided Ron’s eyes “You’ll have to lunch without me today. Viktor asked me to go to “le sorcier” and I looked at Ron, heart pounding.

Ron frowned but didn’t say anything. So I left with Viktor right behind me.

The elf wine was wonderful. My steak au poivre was perfect. The chocolate sufle was divine. Life was good again.

Viktor accompanied me to the apparition point. “You still look beautiful Herm-own-ninny” and put a lock of my hair behind my ear.

He was making a move. He looked at my mouth. I wanted this. I would do this and everything would be better. My heart was pounding loudly. I looked at his eyes and they were black. They weren’t blue. They weren’t kind eyes. They weren’t the eyes I wanted looking at me.

So I pushed him. “Goodbye Viktor” and apparated home.

Once I put my feet on the living room floor, I started crying.

“Tilly!”

“Miss is crying. Why Miss? Tilly helps!”

“Get Ron, please!”

Two pops later, Ron found me seated on the couch sobbing.

“Thank you, Tilly." I heard him say "Please leave us now” another pop.

Ron stayed on the same spot he arrived and once I could breathe again he asked “Did you kiss him?”

I shook my head “I couldn’t. He wasn’t you. But I wanted.” I looked at him. “I wanted to fuck our marriage up, so you could go after a woman that could fulfill your dream. But I’m so selfish Ron, that I couldn’t even kiss someone for your own happiness. I fail you every month and I failed you again. I’m such a coward that I can’t end everything! Free you to go after your hot fertile wife. I can’t give you what you want. I can’t make you happy. I just c-can’t!” and started sobbing again.

“I need a walk to think. I’ll be back.” Was all he said and left.

I continued crying on the same spot, he came back after about one hour and seated next to me.

“Do you still love me?” He asked.

I nodded “Do you love me?”

“Yes. Do I make you happy?”

I nodded again. “And you? Do I make you happy?”

“Not lately” my lips trembled and I nodded. He asked “Do you even want to get pregnant or are you going through all this just because you think that's what I want?”

I took a breath “I don’t know. I used to imagine playing with a red headed child. Whenever I think about it now, I feel despair.” I took a breath and continued “I understand if you leave me, Ron. I really don’t blame you. You should go after your happiness.”

“Do you have another reason to end our marriage besides this?”

I gave it a thought “no.”

“The thing is Hermione, do I want kids? Yes. But I can’t think of another woman that I want to be the mother of them.” I cleaned a tear that was falling “Maybe someday my need of a chilld is unbearable and I find someone that could be their mom. But now, we’re not even 30 years old and I still want to be with you.”

We hugged. “I can’t stand to drink more potions and do more charts and all of that.” I said to his shoulder.

“I hate what sex has turned into.”

“Don’t I know? I can’t remember my last orgasm.”

He broke the hug to put his hands on my face and looked at me “I see NOW how much pressure you were. I’m sorry I haven’t seen that before.”

I nodded “And I’m sorry I most likely won’t be able to carry yo..”

“DON’T apologize for anything Bellatrix did to you! I don’t blame you, neither should you.”

I nodded. He kissed me before I cried again.

“I love you”

“I love you too. So much!” I finally asked “Is it okay if we stop these procedures for a while?”

“Yes, Hermione!" I could breathe again. He continued "Let’s do this: take a break on all that and if the time comes that we feel the need for a baby, we talk about the procedures again or adoption or muggle methods or whatever we can think about it. Does that sound like a good plan?”

I nodded and smiled, the first real happy smile I did for a long time “Definitely yes!"

He smiled back, got up and pulled me by my hand. “Come on, let me get you that orgasm you’ve been missing.”

Free of all the pressure and procedures, sex became fun again. So I came. Hard. Twice.

Life is ironic and, most of the time, it’s for a bad reason. But that day, while Ron spooned me and we were peacefully sleeping, my uterus was welcoming a different cell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	14. I Want to Hold your Hand

“Did you throw up before shower?” Ron asked in the bathroom.

“Yeah… that tuna salad I ate yesterday had a strong odor, I shouldn’t have eaten it.” I was sitting on the bed wrapped in a towel, trying to brush my wet hair.

Ron was brushing his teeth “Morning sickness, good sense of smell that seems a lot like...”

“Well I’m not! I just had a weird tuna salad.”

Ron appeared in the bedroom in his boxers “okay... I know... but the pregnancy test is just a simple charm.”

“Fine” I said rolling my eyes. I fetched my wand and said the spell ready for nothing.

But a tiny white light appeared near my belly.

Both Ron and I froze.

After a while he said “do it again.”

I did and the same light showed up.

I looked at Ron and he was like me: eyes and mouth wide open. Barely blinking.

Awaking from his trance, he ran to me and carried me (bridal style) to the fireplace.

“St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries” he shouted while dropping the floo powder.

We arrived in the hospital he (still in his white boxers) carrying me (still wrapped in a towel) and went straight to the Emergency stand.

“Please, she’s pregnant.”

“Ok. What’re the symptoms?” the lady in the counter asked.

“Well, she had morning sickness and her smell is better and we did this test and a ball showed up.”

“I meant the symptoms of whatever she has.”

“She isn’t sick. Are you sick, love?” I shook my head “See... she isn’t sick, she’s pregnant.”

“That’s not an emergency! And what are you two wearing? This is a healing place, you can’t come here half naked.”

“Ron? Hermione?”

“Oh... good... Mrs. Lukacs! We think Hermione is pregnant.”

“Did you do the spell I taught you?” The healer asked me.

I just nodded, still unable to form words.

Ron said “It showed a small ball of light! I saw it, Hermione saw it too and I asked her to do it again and the ball was there again and and and I grabbed her…”

“Ron, calm down! Come with me to my room and I’ll take a look on her.”

I was indeed 3 weeks pregnant. And it was a risky one. The healer gave me 5 potions do take every day (one of them was a “Dreamless Sleep”) and a book on meditation.

She also told me I should better stay in house rest, so I got a license from the Ministry.

I spent the first months at home eating, taking my potions and doing my exercises: stretching and walking slowly around the house. Tilly helped me with them and brought me my meals.

Ron was mostly working from home: one eye on me, one eye in the business. Whenever we could, he would lie in bed with me and read out loud to me. Most of nights, I had visit from Harry, Ginny, Mollly or George.

But mainly I was doing meditation. The more relaxed I felt, bigger the chances of a nine months pregnancy.

Healer Lukacs would check on me three times a week until the end of the second month. On third, she told me the baby was a girl. She also gave me two more potions and started to visit me daily.

In the begging of the fourth month, Valkyrie said “Hermione, you have a wonderful resistance and you’re doing meditation correctly. But I’m sensing your muscles getting tighter. I advise you to stay in St. Mungos where healers can keep a better eye on you.”

So we did: Ron, Tilly and I shared a room there. Ron slept on a chair and Tilly felt good sleeping in a big drawer full of towels. I had 8 potions to drink daily and two healers that would visit me every day. My belly pained slightly, but once I could meditate, it was good.

I was about to enter fifth month when Healer Lukacs told me “You’re doing great. But I predict that I will have to do the delivery in the next two weeks.”

I said calmly “That won’t do. She will still be very small.”

“It’s not ideal, but your blood is thinning, I don’t think we will have a choice. Here are two more potions. One is a blood replenishing and the other is to lessen the blood pressure. I will also cut solid food, so you’ll “eat” just through nourishing potions.”

I had healers checking on me hourly now. Whenever I wasn’t drinking a potion, I was meditating. It was also a way to avoid the apprehension in Ron’s face. My only job was to stay calm through all of this, so I did.

A week later, pain hit me. But I couldn’t let it overwhelm me. I would rub my belly and say very calmly “Shhh… stay baby…” breathe in “mommy loves you... calm down…” breathe out.

I asked to be sedated through the rest of the pregnancy. Healer Lukacs explained that it would be worse since the only thing keeping her in my belly was my magic and my will. There was a healer in my bedroom full time now.

Another week, the pain was harsh, I was five and a half months pregnant and Healer Lukacs said “Hermione, we can’t wait any longer. I’ll have to make the delivery.”

“No” I said calmly between breaths “I can wait, I’ll meditate.”

“Hermione, to go on is beyond dangerous for both you and the baby.”

“You can’t cut my body without my permission and I don’t allow it.”

Ron said “Hermione, please…”

“I’ll meditate. I’m calming now. I can do this.”

Two days later, the pain was unbearable. There were three healers in the room.

“Hermione, I have to do it NOW” First time I heard Healer Lukacs raise her voice. “We’ll do everything for her survival outside your belly.”

“I can do this!”

“Hermione” Ron now, very seriously looking directly into my eyes “please, I beg you.”

“Ron, this could be our only chance.”

“Hermione…”

“She’s so tiny, I have to protect her.”

“Hermione, I can’t lose both of you. Please.”

I was mute.

“PLEASE!”

His blues eyes screamed desperation and pain was overwhelming me. I gave a small nod to him and allowed myself to cry for the first time in my pregnancy.

The healers were immediately on me, cutting me. I saw a very small baby who wasn’t crying pass from one healer to another and I blacked out.

* * *

“Please stay, Hermione! I need you!”

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I no longer felt pain.

I seated on the bed startled. Ron was next to me.

“Drink this. Pepper up potion.”

I did. His face was puffy. He was very serious. While I was gulping he answered my unasked question.

“She’ll live. Don’t worry. A healer and Tilly are with her.”

I blinked slowly and finished the potion.

“Can I see her?” I asked.

“Yes.” Ron answered “But before that, I want you to promise me you won’t try to get pregnant again.”

“Ron, it was bad, but it was a small price o pay. We both survived.”

“You were dead for two minutes. Your heart stopped pounding, because there wasn’t enough blood in you anymore. It was all over the bed and the floor and me. The only reason you’re here talking to me is the fact that it just wasn’t your day to go.”

We stayed silent.

“I can’t” I said

“I and a little baby girl upstairs need you alive. Promise me.”

“What about our dreams?” tears falling now “I can do this all over again.”

“Well, I can’t… and I won’t go on with you on your suicidal journey.”

I gulped but stayed silent.

Ron completed. “I won’t carry the guilt of being part responsible for your death.”

I took a time and nodded. “Okay, I promise you… that I won’t try to get pregnant again.”

He could breathe again. And we hugged.

“Thank you. I was so scared. I love you so much” he said.

“I’m so sorry I won’t give you the big family you wanted.”

He looked at me “You gave me you… and a beautiful girl.”

“She’s beautiful?”

“Very. She looks like you.”

I smiled and kissed his lips.

Ron standed up and said “I’ll call a healer. See if it’s safe for you to walk upstairs.”

It was. I entered a room and Tilly ran to hug my legs, I thanked the elf putting my arms around her, breaking the embrace quickly and looked at the room.

There was a healer and next to her an orange pink sphere of what looked like plasma that was floating mid-air. I took my steps and as I came closer, I could see the smallest and most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen quietly sleeping inside it.

“You can put your hand through the sphere” the healer said.

So I did, with water in my eyes the baby grabbed my index with all her tiny little fingers.

“Hi Rose! I’m your mommy! I love you so much!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	15. Your Mother Should Know

On her third birthday, I asked Rose “What present do you want, sweetie?”

“I want a sister”

I laughed “Sorry, Rose. What about a toy broom that flies just like Al’s?”

She smiled.

* * *

“Daddy, I want a sister. Al has Lily!”

“You already give me a lot work, Rosie! I can’t handle two little monsters like you!” and tickled her. She laughed.

* * *

“Daddy, how many brothers and sisters do you have?”

“Well… There’s uncle Bill, uncle Charlie, uncle Percy, uncle George, aunt Ginny, there was uncle Fred that you didn’t meet and I consider your uncle Harry a brother too. So you can count seven.”

“And you, mommy?”

“I’m a lone child, but I do considerer your uncle Harry my brother.”

“Did you want a sister when you were my age?”

“…………. Finish your ice cream, Rosie”

* * *

“What do you want for Christmas, sweetie?”

“Well… I want a ….”

“Don’t say sister!”

“It can be a brother…”

* * *

“I don’t understand. Don’t you love to play with Tilly and all your cousins?"

“Yeah… but… dunno… I don’t think is the same”

* * *

You can say a thousand times the right thing, but takes one to really fuck things up. Rose was five years old when one night, while we were eating dessert, she said.

“Mommy, Daddy I think this situation of me being a lone child has gone too far. I demand a sibling” She has always been very articulate.

“Rosie” Ron said “drop it!”

“I’m serious? Why not? Why can’t I have a sister or a brother?”

“Because I can’t get pregnant.” I said.

Rose froze and after a while she said “But you had me, didn’t you?”

“And it nearly killed both of us. Your father made me promise him that I wouldn’t try again and he was right: it’s far too dangerous. So unless your father wants a child with another mommy, no, you can’t have siblings.”

Rose was pale. She took another spoon of her chocolate mousse and excused herself. Tilly followed her, saying she could put her to sleep that night.

“Well done, Hermione” Ron said ironically and went upstairs.

I waited for him to sleep before I went to bed. Once I got there, I muffliato myself and cried quietly.

After some time, the lamp shined bright blue. It was indication that Rose was approaching (I did the spell to avoid her catching us screwing around).

As I heard Rose’s small footsteps, I cleaned my face and removed the muffliato. Soon, her blue eyes, bushy brown hair and nose like mine were in front of me.

“Mommy, did I almost kill you?”

“Come here, Rose” she laid down next to me like she did when she was scared “You didn’t do a thing. Mommy wanted you so much, that she almost did. I’m very sorry for the way I talked to you.”

“I don’t want another mommy”

I kissed the top of her head “you’ll always have me, dear.” I started to gently pass my fingers on her scalp.

“I’m happy with you and daddy and Tilly” she came closer to me, resting her head on my shoulder.

“Me too, I love you very much.” I continued working my fingers on her head.

“I love you too, mommy. And I’m happy with Al, and Jamie, and Lilly" she yawned "and Vicky, and Teddy, and Dommy, and Louis, and Lucy, and Roxie" another yawn "and Molly and Freddy.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy”

Like that, we slept.

* * *

Around a year later, I heard a knock on my office door.

“Hello, Hermione!” it was Harry “I need your help with something. Is for the “Muggleborn Interaction Program”

The Program consisted in assisting kids that showed magic and weren’t in magical families. The Ministry would send people (mostly aurors) to explain to them and their relatives about magic.

It was a Program built by me, to help muggleborn children, and by Harry, who wanted to keep an eye on possible Tom Riddles. Harry arguments that maybe we wouldn’t have a Voldemort if the Ministry showed the right support in his child’s years.

“Sure, Harry. What’s the matter?”

“Follow me, please. I’ll tell you on the way.”

“Ok!” I grabbed my wand and walked with him.

“So I got this kid some months ago that showed magic to prevent a dog’s attack on a 5 year-old neighbor.”

“Good kid.”

“Great kid!” He continued as we walked the corridor ”So Claire and I went to his house and told the parents about magic, did some basic spells, Lumos and the like, and put all of them on a secrecy charm.” Claire is an auror, younger than me and Harry.

“All good then... go on” we arrived at the elevator.

“So yesterday we got another magical activity in a muggle orphanage and today we went to check it and imagine my surprise when I found the same kid over there isolated since everyone else was afraid of him.”

“Poor thing” the elevator door opened and we entered.

“We tried to talk to the priest that ran the orphanage, but the man kept skiving our questions. So Claire did some legillimancy and found out that the biological parents were extremely religious and thought the kid had the devil in him, hence why he was abandoned in the orphanage.”

The elevator arrived in the auror’s floor. Harry didn’t stop talking “It gets worse. It turns out that the priest is… well… a godless man that likes to do godless things to children. So the man tried to… well... “attack” the kid, but the boy’s magic sensed the danger and he got an imperturbable sphere around himself.”

“Thank Merlin!”

He stopped in front of a room used to interview suspects. “So I confounded the priest in a manner that every time he thinks or tries to touch a child he will see angry Jesus condemning him to hell and, just in case that won’t work, his dick is going to burn…”

“50 points do Gryffindor!”

“…And we obliviated everyone, but I couldn’t let the kid there. If he stays, he can even become an obscurial. So I got his papers and legally he has no tutor now.”

“Alright.”

“He’s in this room, great boy, but very shy. He hasn’t said a word since we got him. But who could blame him, after everything he has been through?” I heard the elevator ding.

“Okay. And what do you want from me?”

“You? Humm… well... I thought maybe you can talk to him or something.” I heard footsteps “you know… you’re great with kids.”

“Here Harry I brought a lot of things from the shop.” It was Ron with a lot of bags “Oh... Hi love. What’re you doing here? Harry called you too?” he asked me.

I frowned and looked at him then at Harry then at Ron again then at Harry who began blushing.

“Harry, where is this kid sleeping tonight?” I asked very slowly.

“Well.. Hummm... I thought… well… the ministry doesn’t have bedrooms….” Harry babbled.

“You set me up! You want me to take the kid, don’t you?” but before Harry answered I turned to Ron “Did you know about this?”

Ron shook his head.

“Hermione” it was Harry “the boy has been through so much and he’s great.”

“He is not some rescued cat, Harry! I can’t just feed him, clean his mess and pet him from time to time. He’s a child and he needs care!”

“Exactly!” and he grabbed my shoulder “Just talk to him, maybe take him one day or two while I can find somewhere I can put him.”

I was mute.

“Please” Harry said.

I turned to Ron “What do you think?”

Ron was clearly trying to feign that he wasn’t excited “I think we can talk to him and see how it goes...”

I rolled my eyes “Fine. Show me the kid.”

Harry smiled “Great!” and opened the door.

There was a chubby 4 year-old seating on a chair across the table with his hands on his lap, looking down. But that wasn’t his most prominent feature.

“By the way” Harry said “did I mention he has red hair? Good Luck!” and closed the door.

_Fucking Potter._

We seated on the chairs across him and the boy didn’t beat the eye. He was hardly breathing.

“Hello, I’m Ronald. But everyone calls me Ron. What’s your name?”

Silence.

“Do you like chocolate? I have these, they’re magical chocolate frogs.” He put around 6 in front of the kid “They jump when you open them, but they only have one jump to escape. You should just be ready to grab them before they hop. It’s my favorite chocolate. It has a card in it with a famous wizard to collect. I’m actually in one of these cards.”

The kid continued looking down, barely blinking.

“I also have this Aviatomobile.” He put a toy car on the table “it’s not like the muggle ones because this one flies. My brother did this one based on a flying car my dad had. I drove it once but the car now is lost in a Forest.”

The boy still wouldn’t move.

Ron looked at me and said with his eyes “do something!”

I took a breath, picked up my wand, thought about the first time I met Rose and said “Expecto Patronum”.

My smoky otter emerged from my wand and the kid finally looked up and I could see his beautiful yellow eyes.

The patronus gave a full lap around the room before stopping in front of me. I pointed to the child. The otter went there and halted in front of him. The boy looked at me.

“It’s safe, you can touch it.”

He looked back at the otter, raised his small hand and started to pet it. The otter moved his head welcoming him.

“It’s a patronus” I said “It’s an advance spell that you’ll learn when you’re older.” The boy looked at me “everyone has his or her own animal.”

He looked expectantly to Ron who said “Mine is an otter too. It was a dog first” he turned to me “but it changed after a while.” I smiled. Ron picked his wand “Expecto Patronum.”

His otter left his wand and mine went there to welcome his. They started to fly across the room holding hands like otters floating in a river. The room was filled with the blue light and the happiness that emerged from them.

The boy didn’t tear his eyes from the animals and eventually left the chair and started to chase them around the room. He giggled the sweetest laugh I’ve ever heard.

Eventually the patronuses dissipated and the boy turned to me frowning.

“Don’t worry. It’s like that. I can produce more with my wand.” I said and showed my stick. I picked up one of the chocolate frogs and opened it, grabbing the thing before the jump. Took a bite and said “You can have one if you want.”

He seated back and opened one. The frog tried to jump, but his hand was faster and grabbed it. He ate it with gusto.

“Your hair is red like mine” he finally said looking at Ron.

“humm... yes… my family has a lot of people with red hair” he looked at me and I nodded “you can go see them. Do you want that?”

He looked at Ron, then me, then Ron again and nodded.

I said “But first, we need to know your name. You know Ron, I’m Hermione and you are?”

“Hugo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	16. Golden Slumbers

Hugo, Ron and I arrived in the Burrow by floo moments later. I heard running footsteps.

“Mommy, Daddy” Rose said excitedly, but looked at Hugo, froze and frowned “Who is this?”

Molly, Ginny and her three kids showed up looking at the boy and then at Ron.

Ron answered “Rose, this is Hugo. He... er... asked to visit us tonight. He lived with muggles, so he doesn’t know much about magic.”

She came closer and extended her hand “I’m Rose. Nice to meet you.”

The boy looked at her hand frowning, but took it “I-I-I’m Hugo.”

“Hugo, I know a lot about magic and I can show you things.”

“Okay.”

“This is my dad” and pointed to Ron “he is a wizard. Wizards do magic. This is my mom” and pointed to me “She is a witch which also can do magic. I am a witch too. Are you a wizard?”

Hugo was silent so I answered “yes, he is” he looked at me.

The fireplace got green flames and Harry entered the room.

“This is Harry Potter” Rose went on “he is my uncle and once defeated Voldemort with an Expelliarmus. He is very famous. My mom and my dad are also famous because, without them, uncle Harry would be dead.”

And so Rose went on introducing Hugo to everyone, when she was finished on people she showed him her toy broom, talked about wands, explained Quidditch... Hugo kept following her, listening.

The adults went to the kitchen, where Harry and Ron told Molly, Arthur and Ginny who Hugo was. Once they were finished they all looked at me.

“I don’t know, alright. I’m thinking. Don’t push me.”

So everyone found some excuse to do. After a while, Molly told us that dinner was ready and asked me to call the kids. I found Rose explaining to Hugo how to de-gnome a garden in the backyard.

“Where are your parents?” Rose asked.

“I-I-I.. dunno.”

“Where do you live?”

“I lived in orphanage, but I don’t think I live there now.”

“Well... I live in a big house I think you….”

“ROSIE and Hugo dinner is ready.” I said interrupting them.

We all started eating, but Hugo wouldn’t.

“Do you want me to cut it for you?” Ron said pointing to the plate.

He shook his head. I took a moment to recall that he was used to religious places. “We don’t say prayer before eating.” He looked at me “If you want to, you can. But no one will punish you if you pray or if you don’t.”

He nodded. Closed his eyes for some seconds and begun eating. Poor kid, must be starving. He ate everything and the other plate Ron served.

After treacle tarts, we all went to the living room and the kids were playing with flying toy dragons (Rose explained which dragon was which to Hugo, of course). I went to the kitchen to drink a cup of water and Ron followed me.

“Rose seems to like him” Ron said.

I drank my water and looked at him “Yeah… she does...”

“I think she would welcome him if we decide to take him.”

“I suppose so.”

“Are you still not convinced?”

I sighed “Ron, like I said he’s not a cat. It’s too big of decision to take in just one night.”

“What are you afraid of?”

Before I could answer, a loud noise was heard in the living room, followed by other noises and soon James opened the kitchen door.

“Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron help!”

We ran to the living room. “What happened?”

“Lilly was after a dragon and she was going straight to the fireplace” it was lighted on “but a white smoke wall appeared and threw her back" Ginny was hugging Lilly. “She hit her arm on the coffee table but she’s fine.”

“Then what’s wrong, James?” I asked.

“Hugo ran upstairs. He’s under a bed and no one can get him out of there.”

Ron and I looked at each other and went upstairs. We found Rose standing in Ginny’s old room.

“Mother, Father. I’m telling him that Lilly is okay, but he won’t get out of there!” Rose said annoyed.

Ron said “It’s okay, Rosie. Thank you! Hugo, are you there?”

No noise.

I laid down on the floor on my belly and there, under the bed, was a completely frightened Hugo. He looked at me and moved further away.

I asked “Are you hurt, sweetie?”

He shook his head.

“What’s wrong?”

He stayed silent.

“You can tell me.”

“I want to stay” he said.

It just confirmed what I thought the problem was. Whenever he did magic, people would take him away or isolate him. I stayed on the floor.

“Do you like here?"

He nodded

“What do you like in here?”

“Rose.”

I smiled “I love Rose. What else?”

“The food.”

I laughed “Molly is a great cooker. Anything else?”

“The dragons. I like to play with them.”

“And do you like the other kids?”

He nodded “I like you too. You’re a nice lady.”

“And Ron?”

He nodded.

“No one here is going punish you for doing magic that’s helping people, okay?”

He took a longer time to nod this time.

I took a breath “I don’t live here. I have another house with Ron and Rosie. Do you want to sleep there with us tonight?”

He smiled and nodded profoundly.

“But you need to get out there, okay?”

He started to move so I got up. Once he left the bed, Rose told him with her eyes high on the roof.

“I told you that there wasn’t a problem. Why people don’t listen to me!?!? Come on, let’s continue our game” and dragged him downstairs. Poor Rose. She’s too much like me.

I looked at Ron, he was smiling from ear to ear.

“Just tonight, I haven’t decided yet.”

“Alright, love.” But he kept his smile.

* * *

Molly read to all the children and Rose and Hugo ended up sleeping on the Burrow’s couch. Ron and I brought them to our place: He enlarged Rose’s bed, I duplicated her pillow and blanket and we put them there.

We got ourselves to bed and said our “good nights”.

An hour later, Ron called me. “Hermione, are you asleep?”

I sighed “No” and turned to face him.

Ron said “I like the boy.”

“Of course you do. I see you look at him like he’s a gorgeous unicorn.”

“Speak for yourself. Your eyes were watery when you saw him chase the otters.”

I sighted “He’s a great kid. I like him too.”

“Then what’s the matter?”

“I… It’s….” I took a breath “Ron, I spent so much time convincing myself that the three of us were enough, I’m having trouble opening that box now. It just seems that something bad will happen if I allow myself to him.”

He took a time “just because we’re enough doesn’t mean we can’t welcome someone, right?”

“Maybe.”

Ron held my hand “The war is over, Hermione. Good things can happen to you.”

My lips started trembling “I.. dunno..”

“Let me ask you something then, assuming you manage to obliviate me, Hugo, Rose, all the Weasleys, people in the Ministry, everyone that knows he’s here. Would you want to? Are you sure you don’t want to see him again?”

Ron had a point. But before I said anything the light in the lamp shined bright blue and we heard footsteps. Rose opened the door with Hugo right behind her, both holding their pillows.

“So Hugo you climb the bed like this and you cuddle with an adult” she said to Hugo completely ignoring Ron and I. The girl got on the bed and approached her father “usually I’m with mom, she has this way of passing her fingers on my head, but since it’s your first time, I’ll let you have her.”

Hugo had climbed the bed and was looking at me.

“Did you have a bad dream?” I asked him.

He nodded.

I took a breath and made a "come" movement with my hand. He came closer, dropped his pillow on my arm and laid down next to me.

“Go on, mom.” Rose said “Do that thing with your fingers.”

So I did. While my fingers worked on his fine red hair, he kept his big yellow eyes looking at me. I started humming “Golden Slumbers” like I use to do with Rose. A moment later he came closer to me, resting his head on my shoulder and closing his eyes.

Both kids were asleep and I looked up to Ron and saw him smiling again from ear to ear.

Hugo wanted to stay. We all knew. I remembered all those years ago, when another red headed asked me for an opening and all the great things that happened since.

So there I was once more, with this tiny human asking me for a chance of love again. Both of us had dealt with a lot of sorrow and were completely terrified to let ourselves believe in love once more. And, again, I knew what choice to make.

I rolled my eyes “I’ll look at the adoption procedure in the Ministry tomorrow.”

“I love you”

“Yeah... I know you do.”

I kissed Hugo’s head and said very quietly “Sleep well, Hugo. I’ll take care of you.”

> _Once there was a way  
>  To get back home_
> 
> _Sleep, pretty darling  
>  Do not cry  
> And I will sing a lullaby_
> 
> _Golden slumbers  
>  Fill your eyes  
> Smiles await you when you rise  
> Sleep pretty darling  
> Do not cry  
> And I will sing a lullaby_
> 
> _(Lennon/McCartney)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I STRONGLY advise you to listen to “Golden Slumbers”. It’s an amazing song and completes this particular chapter, especially the medley Golden Slumbers/ Carry that Weight / The End like this video  
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjKtfvKJSuk>
> 
> * * *
> 
> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


	17. Good Night

After some weeks, Ron and I asked Rose how she felt about us adopting Hugo. She answered.

“Mother, stop this madness! He lives in this house, he’s my brother. I don’t know what this absurd question is about.”

We asked Hugo if he wanted me to be his mommy and Ron to be his daddy. The boy hugged us and said “thank you.”

In magical world, the adoption ceremony evolves more than a signing paper. Hugo held mine and Ron’s hand and the officer raised his wand above our heads and a shower of golden stars felt upon and spiralled around us.

Much like magical wedding: we share a bond, we have our magic intertwined. Hugo became officially a part of our family tree and gained our last name, becoming Hugo Granger-Weasley.

His shyness disappeared when he trusted he would stay. Even stopped hiding, when he thought he did something wrong. He’s still very kind and very protective (especially with Rose) and loves to play with her and his cousins.

Ron taught both kids how to play chess and they enjoy playing against each other. Ron also taught him how to ride a toy broom. Rose is a bigger reader then Hugo, but sometimes she reads to him, which he appreciates.

Hugo had a lot of toys growing up, some earned by his older cousins and some WWW things gained from his dad and uncle. But the thing he liked most was a lamp that had a lighting otter swimming inside it.

* * *

So this story takes its last jump in time. Yesterday we fought Delphini and prevented, again, the rise of Voldemort.

“What are you writing so profoundly?” Ron asks as he lays on bed next to me.

“Just some thoughts. Can’t help wonder about those alternate futures for us...”

“Hermione, I gave a second thought and Scorpius’ story if Voldemort won just doesn’t make any sense: we would be around each other for that many years and not kiss?”

“I find that hard too. But Al’s story… I would be a miserable teacher.”

“You seemed like Snape. Perhaps virgin?”

I laughed “It’s been so many years since I lost my virginity.”

He laughed “yeah... I have trouble to see you as a virgin… Almost done?”

“Yeah... just some paragraphs more.”

Few people can say that they are living their best life like I can. I learned other futures and they definitely weren’t better. Every path I took lead me here and I’m grateful for the pain and laughter that brought me where I stand.

I still have nightmares with Bellatrix, but I don’t let them stop me. But I keep a Pain Relief on my nightstand and a Ron on my bed.

Pain is part of life. You will feel pain and it’s not about not feeling it. Don’t run from your ache or pretend it isn’t there, but learn how to deal with it, because there is a big difference between living with pain beside you and living with it in front of you blocking your view.

Accepting the past doesn’t mean forget, but it’s important to learn to live with your traumas. And you can ask for help. People can be the best way to handle it (either loved ones or professional ones).

Choose your battles. There’re a lot of things worth fighting for: equality, fair treatment, politics, friendship, love. But don’t waste your time or energy on insignificant things. Stop being angry about things you have no control of and go after the things that make you happy.

Don’t fall for a person that tries to change your core or is run by jealousy. Love needs trust on both sides. And it needs self confidence: there isn’t love where someone is feeling lessened.

Love also means respect and to help people on a good path. And no relationship can work without talking your feelings AND listening to the other one thoughts. But, unfortunately, love has its own timing.

Listen to Beatles.

I’ve traveled a lot, met people from different places and I tell you there’s goodness and badness in every kind of group. Learn your place in the world: your privileges and your detriments. The more you see the world and learn about it, the more you understand that all people have similar goals: seek happiness, find fulfillment, to be loved. It’s hard to keep prejudice once you fully realize this.

You do no wrong trying to be rational in a decision. But sometimes rationalization is a way to masquerade fear. Don’t jump in a cliff without a cord but a open heart can welcome wonderful things.

Trust books. Actually, trust good books. People often mistake opinions for facts. Real knowledge takes time, experience, precise work and thoughts. Study. Don’t be afraid of knowledge. When in doubt, go after classic recognized books. Every matter has the most trusted author and a classic is a classic. That works for every field, all around the globe.

I almost killed both Rose and I when I waited those two days to deliver her and Ron was right when he made me do that promise.

There’s a big difference between being optimistic and escaping reality. Facing the world as it is, gives you the tools to adapt yourself to it.

There’s no glamour in war times. Don’t diminish these periods. People will have scars and losses. Bad things will happen and that’s beyond your reach. All I can advise you about it is this: do your best, be strong, help others, stay safe and try to still be a better human after the ceasefire happens.

And lastly, one of the hardest things in life can be to know what you want. If you do and have the resources, go for it. If you don’t have the resources, learn to let go of some dreams. Sometimes what you think you want is not what you need, so be open to change your goals along the way. And other times, life has a strange way to give you the best it can offer.

“Are you done, love?”

“Yeap” I said putting the quill and parchment on the nightstand. “Good night, love” and gave him a peck.

Ron actives his deluminator and turn off the lights “Good night. Have good dreams!”

But I am already living the best one.

And we slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this story while I was in my first weeks of social distancing protocols, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It felt important to me to say those things.  
> I Hope you enjoyed my writing.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome ❤


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